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Dallas , TX
Southern Methodist University, located in Dallas, Texas, is a prestigious private institution known for its strong academic programs, vibrant campus life, and engaged community. With a history dating back to 1911, SMU has flourished into a leading research university that offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across seven schools and colleges. The university prides itself on providing a liberal arts education foundation, combined with professional preparation, creating well-rounded individuals ready to take on the challenges of today's world.
SMU offers students a diverse and inclusive community, embracing a culture of intellectual curiosity and innovation. The university is known for its commitment to fostering leadership, critical thinking, and global perspectives. Students have access to world-class faculty who are experts in their fields and renowned for their research, ensuring a high-quality educational experience. Additionally, SMU's vibrant campus life offers numerous extracurricular activities, including over 200 student organizations, NCAA Division I athletics, and a thriving arts scene, providing students with ample opportunities to explore their passions and develop new skills.
Located in the heart of Dallas, SMU benefits from its diverse and dynamic surroundings. The city offers endless career opportunities, internships, and cultural experiences, enabling students to translate their classroom knowledge into real-world applications. SMU's strong ties to the Dallas business, cultural, and political communities provide students with unique networking opportunities and connections that can lead to internships, fellowships, and career placements. With its commitment to academic excellence, community engagement, and global innovation, SMU is a top choice for students seeking a well-rounded, impactful education experience.
Located in Dallas, TX, Southern Methodist University is a private upper-level higher education institution with graduate programs. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 63%. The freshman retention rate at Southern Methodist University is 91% and the six-year graduation rate is 84%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is July 31. Explore this school's profile to find out the most essential things about Southern Methodist University.
Quick Facts
7,285
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$61,880
Tuition
11:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
84%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most vital facts you need to know about admission policy and requirements at Southern Methodist University.
According to the newest data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 9,657 in 2025.
Test Scores
Out of the number of those who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 15.5% and ACT scores 9.3%. 60.5% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 34.6% between 1,200 and 1,399 and 4.9% between 1,000 and 1,199. The percent of freshman students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 82.5 and 17.5 between 24-29.
The ACT composite average score for all the admitted students in 2025 was 32 while the average GPA was 3.67. Therefore, the chances are that you'll need a GPA higher than the average for acceptance, and the same goes for your ACT score.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 698 and an average SAT Math score of 706.
Deadlines
The final day for applications to Southern Methodist University is July 31.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is the percentage of college or university newcomers who return for their sophomore year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
The freshman retention rate for Southern Methodist University was 91% in 2025, which is an outstanding retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 84%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Choosing a school that is the best fit for you is not a simple task. Obtaining a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Southern Methodist University in 2025 was 12,116.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 54.1% for that year. There was a total of 7,285 undergraduate students, including 279 international students. 314 students were admitted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 4,742 male and 4,937 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
When it comes to improving a sense of inclusion and belonging among students, there is no denying the importance of student diversity. A diverse student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 603, and the number of Black American students was 398. 1,291 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 341 identified with more than one race. The school also had 7 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 23 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 248 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before submitting an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into consideration. The most recent data reported regarding the expenses for attending this school are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Southern Methodist University estimated tuition fees.
Tuition in 2025 was $61,880 for full-time domestic students. As Southern Methodist University is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students totaled $7,842 in 2025.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The estimated expense of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $876.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for lodging and meals?
At Southern Methodist University, the 2025 annual cost of room and board (on campus) was $19,794. If you only needed a dormitory room, it cost $12,170 for the 2025 academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 61,880 |
| Room and Board | $ 19,794 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 876 |
| Total Expense | $ 82,550 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial support: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Southern Methodist University, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent records show that 573 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students equaled $58,545.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
There were 2,172 students who received need-based financial aid of any kind. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was estimated to be 2,217. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution was $8,677,252, and state $4,984,405. The students of Southern Methodist University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $89,204,114, and external in the amount of $2,593,698.
$29,414
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
621 students, including freshmen, obtained institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this institution in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 196 full-time freshmen. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $70,402,916. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $3,134,729 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
Majors
Faculty
11:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Southern Methodist University was 11:1: that means 11 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 1,163. Out of that number, there were 676 male and 487 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some info about campus life at Southern Methodist University.
Its campus spans 240 acres.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership usually consists only of current students and/or alumni.
According to recently gathered data, there are 231 open-membership organizations at Southern Methodist University. This number includes sororities and fraternities. At this school, 38% of male students are members of social organizations, while that percentage is 44 for female students. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is Hillel @ SMU, followed by Entrepreneurship Club and Catholic Campus Ministry at SMU. Other popular organizations at Southern Methodist University are Asian Council and BBA Finance Club.
If you are interested in music, you can join the Southern Methodist University band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Southern Methodist University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Southern Methodist University, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services, Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Southern Methodist University.
All in all, campus life at Southern Methodist University is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Southern Methodist University.
Career Counselling
At Southern Methodist University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
Job Placement
Knowing what salary you can expect once you have completed your studies can help you decide if a certain school matches your career goals.
The average annual salary for graduates employed six months after graduation from this institution is 90,860 USD.
$90,860
Average Starting Salary After 6 Months of Graduation
FAQ
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Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas, TX.
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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for Southern Methodist University is 61,880 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Southern Methodist University is 63%.
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The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Southern Methodist University is 91%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.