Southern Methodist Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Southern Methodist University is a private research university in Dallas, Texas, serving roughly 7,277 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 63.35% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $78,354 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $67,040
- 2024 Average Net Price: $40,892 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 63.35% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 7,277 98.2% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 84.27%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
- First-Generation Students: 15.7%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 4.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price increase of 2.3% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 69.2%
- Average SAT Score: 1428
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,692
- Applicants (IPEDS): 15,092
- Room & Board: $19,064 annual estimate
Southern Methodist University: what the data shows
Common questions about Southern Methodist University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Southern Methodist University?
Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas, TX (ZIP 75275-0221).
NCES locale classification: Rural fringe.
Is Southern Methodist University public or private?
Southern Methodist University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Southern Methodist University cost?
Published tuition: $67,040.
Average net price after aid: $40,892.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $23,544 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,038 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $24,152 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $33,477 |
| $110,001+ | $58,213 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $268,160.
How hard is it to get into Southern Methodist University?
Admission rate: 63.35%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1428 and midpoint ACT 33.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Southern Methodist University?
Total enrollment: 7,277 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,692 students.
Graduate enrollment: 4,831 students.
About 98% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Methodist University?
150%-time completion rate: 84.27%.
First-year retention: 90.5%.
What do graduates of Southern Methodist University earn?
Median earnings: $65,556 six years after entry; $78,354 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $19,500.
12.76% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Southern Methodist University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Management Science (551 completions)
- Finance, General (280 completions)
- Law (246 completions)
- Economics, General (180 completions)
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management (142 completions)
- Computer Science (141 completions)
- Psychology, General (140 completions)
- Data Science, General (118 completions)
- Accounting (113 completions)
- Office Management and Supervision (97 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Southern Methodist University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 63.35%; completion rate 84.27%; median earnings $78,354 at 10 years; net price $40,892. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$67,040
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Southern Methodist University was $67,040.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$40,892
2024 Value
In 2024 Southern Methodist University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $40,892.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$163,568 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$40,892 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$268,160 4-Year Tuition
$19,064 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$800 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$86,904 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$347,616 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Southern Methodist University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
12.76% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
21.46% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Southern Methodist University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Southern Methodist University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $43,800 | $43,800 | $30,408 |
| 2014 | $45,940 | $45,940 | $32,128 |
| 2015 | $48,190 | $48,190 | $32,580 |
| 2016 | $50,358 | $50,358 | $32,882 |
| 2017 | $52,498 | $52,498 | $32,190 |
| 2018 | $54,492 | $54,492 | $36,575 |
| 2019 | $56,560 | $56,560 | $36,222 |
| 2020 | $58,540 | $58,540 | $38,208 |
| 2021 | $60,236 | $60,236 | $40,452 |
| 2022 | $61,980 | $61,980 | $40,849 |
| 2023 | $64,460 | $64,460 | $41,778 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
63.35% Acceptance Rate
15,092 Total Applicants
9,240 Students Admitted
1,592 First-Time Students Enrolled
17.23% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1428
ACT Average: 33
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.7 - 3.9
Estimated Median GPA: 3.80
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Southern Methodist University reported total enrollment of about 7,277 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (56.2%), Hispanic or Latino (17.7%), and Asian (8.3%). About 12.76% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 15.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.2% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Southern Methodist University in 2024 is 7,277 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 7,692 students. Graduate enrollment is about 4,831 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
90.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 56.2%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
76.21% 100% Completion Time
84.27% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 76.21% of students graduating from Southern Methodist University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Management Science: 56% male / 44% female
- Finance, General: 75% male / 25% female
- Law: 43% male / 57% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Southern Methodist University.
Return on Investment
$19,500 Median Student Debt
$78,354 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
24.89% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
379.03% Return on Investment
2.5 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Southern Methodist University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 106 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Management Science: 551 completions
2. Finance, General: 280 completions
3. Law: 246 completions
4. Economics, General: 180 completions
5. Sport and Fitness Administration/Management: 142 completions
6. Computer Science: 141 completions
7. Psychology, General: 140 completions
8. Data Science, General: 118 completions
9. Accounting: 113 completions
Most popular programs at Southern Methodist University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Southern Methodist University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Southern Methodist University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 69.2%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $14,916
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $18,509
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Southern Methodist University is a private non-profit institution located in Dallas, TX, classified as Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Management Science, Finance, General, Law. Enrollment is approximately 7,277 students. Student body composition includes White (56.2%), Hispanic or Latino (17.7%), Asian (8.3%). The admission rate is 63.35%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1428. The 150%-time completion rate is 84.27%. Approximately 12.76% of students receive Pell Grants. About 15.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Location
Dallas, TX 75275-0221
Region: Southwest
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Graduation Rate: With a 84.27% graduation rate, Southern Methodist University demonstrates strong student retention and completion. This rate significantly exceeds the national average, indicating effective academic support and student services.
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 106 distinct degree programs, Southern Methodist University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Southern Methodist University located?
Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas, TX.
What is Southern Methodist University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Southern Methodist University is 63.3% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 15,092 applicants and 9,240 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does Southern Methodist University cost?
Reported tuition is $67,040 and average net price is $40,892 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $19,064 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Southern Methodist University?
Southern Methodist University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 7,692 students, White (56.2%), Hispanic or Latino (17.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Southern Methodist University?
About 15.7% of students at Southern Methodist University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Southern Methodist University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Southern Methodist University reports midpoint SAT about 1428 and midpoint ACT about 33.
What do graduates of Southern Methodist University earn?
Median earnings are $65,556 six years after entry and $78,354 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Southern Methodist University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 84.3% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Southern Methodist University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $19,500.
Is Southern Methodist University public or private?
Southern Methodist University is a private nonprofit institution located in Dallas, TX.
Is Southern Methodist University an HBCU?
No. Southern Methodist University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Southern Methodist University a tribal college?
No. Southern Methodist University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Texas college costs
- Texas colleges by ROI
- Dallas, Texas city profile
- Southwest regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Texas
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.