Baylor vs. TCU vs. SMU

Should I go to Baylor University or Texas Christian University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Baylor or TCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Baylor University vs. Texas Christian University vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
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Overview

 Baylor TCU SMU
Location Waco, TX Fort Worth, TX Dallas, TX
Setting Midsize City Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,824 12,785 11,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #166 #107 #71
Religious Affiliation Baptist Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) United Methodist -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website baylor.edu tcu.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Baylor TCU SMU
Tuition (In State) $54,844 $57,130 $57,212
Tuition (Out of State) $54,844 $57,130 $57,212
Room & Board $14,235 $14,800 $18,230
Avg Net Price $49,727 $39,005 $45,792
Avg Grant Aid $20,409 $33,813 $36,850
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 81% 69%

Admission

 Baylor TCU SMU
Applied 39,735 20,517 15,092
Admitted 20,262 8,740 9,240
Acceptance Rate 51% 42.6% 61.2%
Enrolled % 16.4% 28.5% 17.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.68 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/31 30/34
SAT Range 1210/1400 1150/1375 1320/1480
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Baylor TCU SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 Baylor TCU SMU
Graduation Rate 72% 74% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $57,600 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 77% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $21,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $222 $222

Diversity

 Baylor TCU SMU
% Men 9% 6% 21%
% Women 18% 9% 19%
Racial Diversity Medium Low Medium
HBCU No No No
% White 64% 73% 65%
% Black 7% 5% 5%
% Hispanic 14% 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0% 4%
% International 3% 5% 8%
% Unknown Race 0% 2% 0%

Students

 Baylor TCU SMU
% In-State 60% 44% 41%
% Out-of-State 37% 52% 55%

Campus

 Baylor TCU SMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes No
Daycare Facility No No Yes
Learn More Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Baylor University is larger than than TCU based on total student enrollment (20,824 students vs. 12,785 students)

Baylor vs. TCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Baylor or TCU?

  • Texas Christian University is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Baylor for in-state tuition ($57,130.00 vs. $54,844.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at TCU than Baylor University ($57,130.00 vs. $54,844.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas Christian University than Baylor ($39,005 vs. $49,727)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Baylor University are 4% lower than costs at Texas Christian University ($14,235 vs. $14,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Baylor University than Texas Christian University (97% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Christian University students is 65.7% larger than aid received Baylor University ($33,813 vs. $20,409)

Baylor vs. TCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Baylor or TCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between TCU or Baylor .

  • The average SAT score at Baylor University (1239) is 19 points higher than at TCU (1220)
  • Incoming Baylor students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at TCU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Baylor students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at TCU (3.68)
  • Baylor has a higher acceptance rate (51%) than TCU (42.6%)

Baylor vs. TCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Baylor or TCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between TCU and Baylor.

  • The graduation rate at TCU is higher than Baylor University (74% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Texas Christian University earn on average $1,400 more per year than Baylor graduates after ten years. ($57,600 vs. $56,200)
  • Texas Christian University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Baylor graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • TCU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Baylor graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More TCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Baylor students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/