IIT vs. SMU

Should I go to Illinois Institute of Technology or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IIT or SMU 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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Illinois Institute of Technology vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
Illinois Institute of Technology Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
Illinois Institute of Technology Southern Methodist University
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Overview

 IIT SMU
Location Chicago, IL Dallas, TX
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,943 12,053
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #186 #67
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iit.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IIT SMU
Tuition (In State) $48,670 $55,012
Tuition (Out of State) $48,670 $55,012
Room & Board $15,570 $17,750
Avg Net Price $28,702 $45,094
Avg Grant Aid $40,243 $35,344
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 73%

Admission

 IIT SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,243 16,150
Admitted 4,450 8,439
Acceptance Rate 61.4% 52.3%
Enrolled % 13.9% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 31/34
SAT Range 1220/1410 1370/1510
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 IIT SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (50%)
  • Architecture (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (8%)
  • Business (7%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 IIT SMU
Graduation Rate 64% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $79,300 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

 IIT SMU
% Men 63% 50%
% Women 37% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 33% 65%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 16% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 26% 8%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 IIT SMU
% In-State 60% 38%
% Out-of-State 29% 58%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Methodist University is larger than than IIT based on total student enrollment (12,053 students vs. 6,943 students)

IIT vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IIT or SMU?

  • Southern Methodist University is 13% more expensive to attend than IIT for in-state tuition ($55,012.00 vs. $48,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13% higher at SMU than Illinois Institute of Technology ($55,012.00 vs. $48,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois Institute of Technology than SMU ($28,702 vs. $45,094)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Institute of Technology are 14% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($15,570 vs. $17,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois Institute of Technology than Southern Methodist University (99% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Institute of Technology students is 13.9% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($40,243 vs. $35,344)

IIT vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 79 points higher than at IIT (1251)
  • Incoming SMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at IIT (28)
  • Accepted freshman IIT students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at SMU (3.68)
  • IIT has a higher acceptance rate (61.4%) than SMU (52.3%)

IIT vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IIT or SMU? 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 SMU and IIT.

  • The graduation rate at SMU is higher than Illinois Institute of Technology (75% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Illinois Institute of Technology earn on average $6,300 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($79,300 vs. $73,000)
  • Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than IIT graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • SMU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than IIT graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More IIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 76%)

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