The Total Rewards Initiative is Rice’s commitment to investing in its staff. Through this multi-year initiative, the university is enhancing staff compensation and benefits—ensuring Rice remains a top employer that attracts and retains talent.
Launched in 2023, the initiative began with a comprehensive study comparing Rice’s staff compensation and benefits to peer institutions and major employers in Houston and across the U.S. As a result, Rice committed $20 million over four years to improve salaries and benefits, with FY25 as year one of these investments.
FY25 Investments
This year, the university made several key enhancements to employee compensation and benefits, including:
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$1.3M invested in salary increases: This investment resulted in 320 staff members receiving pay increases.
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Lower Health Insurance Costs: Rice increased its contribution to medical insurance from 76% to 78%, saving employees an average of $222 annually.
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Expanded Dental Benefits: For employees earning $40K or more per year, Rice now covers 25% of dental premiums (up from 0%). Coverage remains at 50% for those earning under $40K.
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Enhanced Tuition Support: Tuition assistance for dependents now covers 10% of Rice’s tuition, usable at any U.S.-accredited college or university. Employee tuition reimbursement also doubled from $2,500 to $5,250 per year.
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Enhanced Paid Parent Leave: Parental leave increased from 6 weeks to 8 weeks for eligible staff and extended to staff with 6 months of benefits-eligible service, down from 12 months.
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Increased Paid Time Off (PTO): Nonexempt staff with less than 10 years of service now earn PTO at a higher rate, aligning PTO accrual rates for all staff.
To better understand your individual Total Rewards Package and view detailed information about your salary, bonuses, and employer-paid benefits, follow these steps to view your Total Compensation Statement.
FY26 Investments
Starting July 1, Rice will continue expanding compensation and benefits with the following enhancements:
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Lower Medical Insurance Costs: Employees will pay less for their medical plans thanks to increased university contributions. The employee share will now be ~13% for employee-only coverage and ~25% for family, putting Rice ahead of many peer institutions.
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More Affordable Dental Insurance: Premiums will be reduced 12-15% for employees earning over $40K as part of a multi-year plan to reach a 50% subsidy for all.
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Focus on Competitive Pay: Staff earning under $100K per year and in the lower part of their pay grade will receive market-based pay adjustments, making pay more competitive.
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Fully Covered Medical Plans for Doctoral Students: Eligible doctoral students will receive a fully covered medical plan option, meaning $0 monthly premiums for their healthcare coverage.
Mark Your Calendar: Open Enrollment & RiceFest
Open Enrollment for the upcoming plan year will run from April 4 to 18. This is the annual opportunity for all employees to review benefits and make changes for the upcoming year, with changes taking effect July 1.
RiceFest will take place on Thursday, April 3rd from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Grand Hall at the Rice Memorial Center. This annual benefits fair provides staff with the opportunity to connect with the benefits team, speak with benefits vendors, and discover programs designed to enhance the employee experience - all in one place.
For questions regarding benefits and compensation, please contact the Total Rewards team at benefits@rice.edu.