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Southern Methodist University

Basic Information

Type Private

Geographical Reach National

Religious Affiliation United Methodist

Location Dallas, TX

Population 5,500,000

Website http://www.smu.edu/

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 7,106

Men / Women 49% / 51%

White 50%

Hispanic 18%

Asian 7%

Black 6%

International 4%

Mixed 3%

Native American 1%

From State 42%

From Region 3%

Academics

Undergraduate Degrees

Business & Economics 47%

Humanities & Social Sciences 27%

Arts 8%

Life & Natural Sciences 5%

Computer Science 4%

Engineering 4%

Physical Sciences & Math 4%

Education 1%

Health Sciences 1%

Financial

Tuition & Fees $69,722

Est. Cost of Attendance $85,606

10-Year ROI $161,000

ROI Percentile 61th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 91%

4-Year Graduation Rate 76%

6-Year Graduation Rate 84%

Transfer-Out Rate 10%

Weather

Comfortable Days 95 (20%)

Sunshine Hours 2,750 (74%)

Days Without Precipitation 283 (90% 🏖️)

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes

Acceptance Rate 48%

Yield (Unbound) 15%

Early Decision 1 Nov 1

Early Action Nov 1

Regular Decision Jan 1

Early Decision 2 Jan 15

Research

Research Level R1

Expenditure

Engineering, Computing & Math	$18M	#172
Humanities & Social Sciences	$3M	#195
Life & Natural Sciences	$14M	#222

Graduate Degrees

Humanities & Social Sciences	337	#60
Engineering, Computing & Math	30	#135
Life & Natural Sciences	15	#444

Honors College

Standardized Tests

Test Scores

Test Policy optional

Submitted Test Scores 25%

SAT Range 1370 – 1460

SAT Math Range 670 – 750

SAT RW Range 670 – 740

ACT Range 30 – 34

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Schools & Majors

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Cox School of Business	537	60% / 40%	4%	$118,090		98%
Accounting	56 —	43% / 57%	0%	$94,535	88	97%
Business Analytics	24 —	58% / 42%	12%	$103,520	93	—
Finance	280 —	75% / 25%	4%	$131,515	99	98%
Financial Planning	— —	—	—	$111,332	96	—
Management	45 —	44% / 56%	4%	$116,818	98	100%
Management and Leadership	28 —	64% / 36%	4%	$116,818	98	100%
Marketing	72 —	17% / 83%	4%	$95,864	89	100%
Real Estate Finance	32 —	75% / 25%	0%	$105,685	94	—

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences	742	44% / 56%	4%	$78,128		94%
Chemistry	8 —	38% / 62%	12%	$56,433	13	84%
Earth Sciences	8 +4	75% / 25%	0%	$67,575	43	—
Mathematics	20 +1	55% / 45%	5%	$89,571	84	97%
Physics	1 —	100% / 0%	0%	$82,323	75	—
Statistical Science	33 +9	61% / 39%	12%	$111,301	96	95%
Biochemistry	15 —	20% / 80%	0%	$65,445	37	—
Biological Sciences	77 +3	32% / 68%	3%	$59,316	20	94%
Health and Society	16 +8	6% / 94%	0%	$67,488	43	—
Economics	172 +8	72% / 28%	5%	$96,927	89	95%
Anthropology	9 +5	44% / 56%	0%	$68,161	45	100%
Chinese	— —	—	—	$73,715	60	—
Creative Writing	8 +1	38% / 62%	0%	$70,318	51	—
English	15 —	20% / 80%	0%	$73,804	60	96%
French	12 +1	17% / 83%	8%	$73,502	59	93%
French Area Studies	1 —	0% / 100%	0%	$69,317	48	—
German	1 —	100% / 0%	0%	$73,578	59	—
History	25 +1	56% / 44%	0%	$79,519	71	92%
Individualized Studies in the Liberal Arts	39 +1	59% / 41%	8%	$74,509	61	100%
Interdisciplinary Studies	1 —	0% / 100%	0%	$68,978	47	—
International Studies	9 +5	33% / 67%	0%	$70,163	51	—
International Studies and Policy	14 +9	14% / 86%	0%	$77,862	68	100%
Italian	1 —	100% / 0%	0%	$73,502	59	93%
Philosophy	23 +5	52% / 48%	9%	$61,384	25	95%
Political Science	55 +7	33% / 67%	2%	$84,753	79	93%
Psychology	130 +10	19% / 81%	3%	$64,774	35	88%
Public Policy	14 +11	64% / 36%	7%	$77,862	68	100%
Religious Studies	4 +1	50% / 50%	0%	$65,760	38	—
Sociology	10 +3	50% / 50%	0%	$67,593	43	—
Spanish	21 +5	24% / 76%	0%	$73,502	59	93%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Lyle School of Engineering	193	69% / 31%	7%	$107,823		97%
Civil Engineering	15 —	73% / 27%	7%	$92,335	86	—
Computer Engineering	3 —	67% / 33%	0%	$109,331	96	—
Electrical Engineering	12 —	75% / 25%	17%	$95,549	89	100%
Engineering	1 —	0% / 100%	0%	$98,906	91	—
Environmental Engineering	4 —	50% / 50%	0%	$83,535	77	—
Mechanical Engineering	50 —	70% / 30%	6%	$95,148	88	92%
Computer Science	85 —	69% / 31%	6%	$116,586	98	100%
Management Science	23 —	70% / 30%	9%	$123,913	98	97%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Meadows School of the Arts	330	27% / 73%	2%	$61,985		96%
Advertising	1 —	100% / 0%	0%	$74,109	61	97%
Advertising and Marketing Communications	50 +2	24% / 76%	0%	$76,143	65	99%
Communication Studies	33 +8	3% / 97%	3%	$74,109	61	97%
Corporate Communication and Public Affairs	36 +5	17% / 83%	3%	$76,143	65	99%
Journalism	29 +9	10% / 90%	0%	$67,878	44	94%
Public Relations	32 +8	6% / 94%	0%	$76,143	65	99%
Art History	6 —	0% / 100%	0%	$62,394	28	91%
Communication Design	11 +1	55% / 45%	9%	$67,905	44	95%
Dance	13 —	8% / 92%	0%	$49,423	5	100%
Film and Media Arts	37 +1	41% / 59%	3%	$46,722	3	96%
Music	14 —	57% / 43%	0%	$35,194	1	96%
Music Composition	3 —	67% / 33%	0%	$35,194	1	96%
Music Education	8 +1	62% / 38%	0%	$56,976	14	—
Music Performance	6 +4	83% / 17%	0%	$35,194	1	96%
Music Therapy	3 —	0% / 100%	0%	$57,788	16	—
Piano Performance	2 —	0% / 100%	50%	$35,194	1	96%
Studio Art	14 —	43% / 57%	7%	$62,394	28	91%
Theatre	31 —	48% / 52%	3%	$34,577	1	88%
Voice Performance	1 —	0% / 100%	0%	$35,194	1	96%

⇅	Degrees	Male/Female	Intl	Earnings	ROI	Employment
Simmons School of Education and Human Development	144	56% / 44%	5%	$77,993		94%
Sport Management	130 —	62% / 38%	5%	$80,147	72	94%
Educational Studies	14 +2	0% / 100%	0%	$58,000	17	—