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Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University's main campus is located in the suburban city of University Park, near Dallas. The campus offers a traditional college atmosphere with Georgian Revival architecture. Beyond its strong business, law, and arts programs, SMU maintains a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico, for unique study opportunities. The university maintains ties to the United Methodist Church, though its teaching is non-sectarian.
Avg Grad Earnings
$53,876/yr
Avg DegreeOutlook Score
48/100
Tuition (Sticker Price)
$64,460/yr
Financial Aid & Net Price
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by family income. 12% of students receive Pell Grants and 22% take federal loans.
| Family Income |
Avg Net Price/yr |
4-Year Net Cost |
Net-Price ROI |
| $0 – $30K |
$30,165 |
$120,660 |
4.5x |
| $30K – $48K |
$16,581 |
$66,324 |
8.1x |
| $48K – $75K |
$24,746 |
$98,984 |
5.4x |
| $75K – $110K |
$37,145 |
$148,580 |
3.6x |
| $110K+ |
$57,595 |
$230,380 |
2.3x |
| Sticker price (no aid) |
$64,460 |
$257,840 |
2.1x |
Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships. ROI = average 10-year graduate earnings ÷ 4-year net cost. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.
All Programs at Southern Methodist University
26 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for full AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.
| Program |
DW Score |
Earnings |
AI Risk |
ROI |
Finance and Financial Management Services
Compare across schools |
78 |
$83,159/yr |
Very High |
4.1x |
Computer Science
Compare across schools |
76 |
$93,679/yr |
Very High |
3.5x |
Accounting and Related Services
Compare across schools |
70 |
$68,643/yr |
Very High |
2.7x |
Business Administration
Compare across schools |
70 |
$60,659/yr |
High |
3.5x |
Economics
Compare across schools |
67 |
$71,630/yr |
Very High |
2.8x |
Operations Research
Compare across schools |
61 |
$72,658/yr |
Very High |
3.8x |
Mechanical Engineering
Compare across schools |
60 |
$79,280/yr |
Very High |
2.7x |
Mathematics
Compare across schools |
59 |
$74,516/yr |
Very High |
2.5x |
Marketing
Compare across schools |
57 |
$50,790/yr |
Very High |
2.7x |
Political Science and Government
Compare across schools |
54 |
$52,160/yr |
Very High |
2.3x |
Public Relations & Advertising
Compare across schools |
52 |
$51,828/yr |
High |
2.0x |
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
Compare across schools |
48 |
$45,519/yr |
Moderate |
2.1x |
Statistics
Compare across schools |
47 |
$76,759/yr |
Very High |
2.0x |
Anthropology
Compare across schools |
44 |
$56,550/yr |
High |
1.6x |
Romance Languages & Literatures
Compare across schools |
42 |
$57,858/yr |
Very High |
1.9x |
Public Policy Analysis
Compare across schools |
41 |
$40,434/yr |
High |
2.0x |
History
Compare across schools |
40 |
$33,550/yr |
High |
2.1x |
English Language and Literature, General
Compare across schools |
39 |
$47,019/yr |
Very High |
1.9x |
Chemistry
Compare across schools |
38 |
$38,919/yr |
High |
0.5x |
Psychology, General
Compare across schools |
34 |
$38,115/yr |
High |
1.5x |
Fine and Studio Arts
Compare across schools |
33 |
$38,154/yr |
Moderate |
1.4x |
Journalism
Compare across schools |
31 |
$40,502/yr |
Very High |
1.6x |
Biology, General
Compare across schools |
31 |
$39,087/yr |
High |
1.3x |
Philosophy
Compare across schools |
30 |
$42,334/yr |
Very High |
0.6x |
Music
Compare across schools |
17 |
$23,159/yr |
High |
0.4x |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Compare across schools |
16 |
$23,831/yr |
Moderate |
0.3x |
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →