- The Inkwell
- Texas
- Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TXSuburb: largeZIP 75275Founded 1911
- Sector
- Private nonprofit
- Founded
- 1911
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral: high research activity (R2)
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.smu.edu
- Member of
- ORAU
TexasReligious affiliationPrivate nonprofit
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private nonprofit university in Dallas, Texas, with 7,277 undergraduates. It admits 63% of applicants, graduates 83% within six years and costs $39,816 a year after aid.
83%graduate
Admission rate63%
Retention90%
4-year graduation76%
Pell Grant share18%
Federal loans23%
$39,816net price / year
63%admission rate
1428average SAT
83%graduate in 6 years
$90,037median earnings, 10 yrs
$18,750median debt
#114 of 1,704 for earnings#1,656 of 1,739 for lowest net price#148 of 1,738 for graduation rate#425 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $88,892tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $69,722
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $69,722
- Average net price
- $39,816national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$31,728
$30,001–48,000$18,708
$48,001–75,000$23,206
$75,001–110,000$28,047
$110,001+$57,328
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 63%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1428
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 670–740
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 670–750
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 30–34
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college63%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college90%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college83%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college18%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 83%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 76%
- First-year retention
- 90%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 82%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $77,754
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $90,037middle 50%: $56,714–$141,382
- Median debt at graduation
- $18,750
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$141,382
Median, Southern Methodist University$90,037
Lower quarter$56,714
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 7,277
- Part-time
- 1.8%
- Women / men
- 51% / 49%
- Average age at entry
- 20.5
- First-generation students
- 16%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 18%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 11 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 69%
- Average faculty salary
- $14,916 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $18,509
- Endowment, end of year
- $2,163,920,000
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White56%
Hispanic18%
Black5.5%
Asian8.3%
Two or more races4.7%
U.S. nonresident3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Unknown3.4%
21 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management26%
Social sciences17%
Communication & journalism10%
Visual & performing arts6.7%
Psychology6.5%
Biological & biomedical sciences6.2%
Parks, recreation & fitness4.9%
Computer & information sciences4.7%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Private nonprofit colleges in Texas
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice University Houston, TX | $11,164 | 95% | $90,773 |
| University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, TX | $17,483 | 53% | $60,110 |
| Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX | $35,045 | 86% | $77,334 |
| University of St Thomas Houston, TX | $15,446 | 67% | $64,410 |
| Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX | $27,943 | 55% | $61,376 |
| Houston Christian University Houston, TX | $19,294 | 48% | $60,634 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordham University Bronx, NY | $42,760 | 81% | $92,809 |
| American University Washington, DC | $41,302 | 75% | $85,458 |
| Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA | $37,704 | 76% | $81,698 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ | $37,396 | 89% | $118,358 |
| Villanova University Villanova, PA | $41,536 | 93% | $115,382 |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA | $43,885 | 90% | $113,513 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 228246. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q1536258.