Southern Methodist University

Frequently asked questions

About Southern Methodist University

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Southern Methodist University located?

Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas, TX, in the United States.

What type of institution is Southern Methodist University?

Southern Methodist University is a private university based in TX. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

What is the acceptance rate at Southern Methodist University?

The most recently reported acceptance rate at Southern Methodist University is approximately 63% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.

What is the tuition at Southern Methodist University?

Southern Methodist University's published in-state tuition is approximately $67,040 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend Southern Methodist University?

Southern Methodist University reports total enrollment of approximately 12,116 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does Southern Methodist University actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Southern Methodist University is approximately $40,892 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $23,544 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $58,213. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at Southern Methodist University?

Southern Methodist University reports a graduation rate of approximately 84% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of Southern Methodist University have?

Students who borrowed at Southern Methodist University left with a median of approximately $19,500 in federal loans, and about 21% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of Southern Methodist University earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $78,354 for students who received federal financial aid at Southern Methodist University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about Southern Methodist University?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Southern Methodist University.

How much do Finance graduates from Southern Methodist University earn?

Southern Methodist University's bachelor's graduates in Finance earned a median $133,852 four years after graduating, 61% above the $83,343 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $83,159; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $19,439 in federal loans at this college (about $206 a month on a 10-year plan).

How much do Law graduates from Southern Methodist University earn?

Southern Methodist University's professional-degree graduates in Law earned a median $153,614 four years after graduating, 43% above the $107,773 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $101,456; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $145,569 in federal loans at this college (about $1,656 a month on a 10-year plan). For context, lawyers in Texas are paid a median $154,200 a year across all experience levels (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), a figure for everyone in the job, not only recent graduates.

Which programs at Southern Methodist University have the highest graduate earnings?

Among the 17 programs at Southern Methodist University with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Business Administration, master's ($188,716); Information Science, master's ($173,816); and Finance, master's ($155,769) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.

Does Southern Methodist University get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Southern Methodist University's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $100,239, above the $34,635 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 nationally, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.