Tuition & Aid

Estimated Cost of Attendance (2026-2027)

Direct Costs
Type Cost
Tuition $46,000
Health Insurance Premium $3,448
Fees* $730

Indirect Costs
Type Cost
Room and Board $12,000
Books and Supplies $800
Personal Expenses $2,000

* Fees included: Graduate Student Association Fee, Student Organizations Fund, Honor Council, and Health Services Fee (no spouses)
** Indirect living costs will vary for each MSPE student. However, these figures are meant to provide estimates for what students can expect to pay per year for 12-month occupancy.

Funding Opportunities for MSPE students

Starting in fall 2026, incoming MSPE students are eligible for three different fellowship opportunities, made possible by a generous grant from the Houston Endowment.

Houston Endowment SOPA to SOPE Fellowship

Rice University undergraduates in good standing who major in Social Policy Analysis (SOPA) and continue as Master of Social Policy Evaluation students are eligible for the Houston Endowment SOPA to SOPE Fellowship of $5,000 toward their MSPE tuition.

Houston Endowment Practicum Fellowship

Through a partnership with Rice University’s Kinder Institute and United Way Greater Houston, MSPE students participate a real-world evaluation to provide evaluation services to a local nonprofit, which serves as their final practicum project. Through the Houston Endowment Practicum Fellowship, all MSPE students in good standing will receive $5,000 for their participation. Half of the funding is distributed at the beginning of the capstone, and the remaining half is delivered upon successful completion with the positive endorsement and evaluation of the project sponsor.

BENCH Fellowship for Master of Social Policy Evaluation Graduates (August 2026 and after)

The Building Evaluators in the Nonprofit Community of Houston (BENCH) Fellowship aims to cultivate a community of evaluators with technical skills and real-world readiness needed for Houston-based organizations to best illustrate their impact and engagement in the region through Rice's MSPE program. Rice MSPE graduates may receive up to $20,000 if they remain in the Houston area and provide data and evaluation work for Houston-area nonprofits for a minimum of two years of full-time work. To be eligible, individuals must fulfill the two-year requirement within the first five years of graduation. BENCH Fellowship requirements will be made available to current students during our program orientation in August.

Financial Aid

The MSPE does not provide tuition waivers, stipends, fellowships, or assistantships for this program.

International students should apply for awards offered by their governments or by governmental and private agencies in the United States or elsewhere.

U.S. Students may consider the following sources of aid:

Please note: The deadlines for many scholarships sponsored by private organizations are often in October or November of the year before a student intends to matriculate.