Tulane vs. Tulsa University vs. SMU vs. Rice

Should I go to Tulane University or University of Tulsa? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Tulane or Tulsa University 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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Tulane University vs. University of Tulsa vs. Southern Methodist University vs. Rice University comparison
Tulane University University of Tulsa Southern Methodist University Rice University
Tulane University University of Tulsa Southern Methodist University Rice University
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Overview

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
Location New Orleans, LA Tulsa, OK Dallas, TX Houston, TX
Setting Large City Large City Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 13,078 3,559 11,842 8,556
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #71 #9
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) United Methodist -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website tulane.edu utulsa.edu smu.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
Tuition (In State) $61,306 $46,932 $57,212 $57,210
Tuition (Out of State) $61,306 $46,932 $57,212 $57,210
Room & Board $18,088 $11,192 $18,230 $15,900
Avg Net Price $50,631 $23,681 $45,792 $20,587
Avg Grant Aid $33,074 $39,719 $36,850 $53,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 100% 69% 57%

Admission

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
Applied 27,936 6,631 15,092 31,059
Admitted 4,077 3,845 9,240 2,447
Acceptance Rate 14.6% 58% 61.2% 16.2%
Enrolled % 45.8% 15.4% 17.2% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.97 3.68 3.96
Typical High School Grades B+ A- B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Low Low Extreme
ACT Range 31/33 24/33 30/34 34/36
SAT Range 1390/1510 1150/1490 1320/1480 1500/1570
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) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Jan 15, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 9:1 11:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Engineering (21%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (3%)

Outcomes

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
Graduation Rate - 68% 75% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,200 $59,200 $73,000 $86,400
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 73% 76% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,529 $26,986 $21,500 $10,227
Median Loan Payment $284 $279 $222 $105

Diversity

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
% Men 15% 17% 21% 29%
% Women 24% 13% 19% 18%
Racial Diversity Medium High Medium Very High
HBCU No No No No
% White 70% 56% 65% 37%
% Black 9% 5% 5% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 5% 11% 14%
% Native American 0% 3% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1% 4% 4%
% International 3% 26% 8% 12%
% Unknown Race 5% 1% 0% 2%

Students

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
% In-State 9% 53% 41% 35%
% Out-of-State 86% 43% 55% 48%

Campus

 Tulane Tulsa University SMU Rice
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes Yes No
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Tulane University is larger than than Tulsa University based on total student enrollment (13,078 students vs. 3,559 students)

Tulane vs. Tulsa University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tulane or Tulsa University?

  • Tulane University is 30.6% more expensive to attend than Tulsa University for in-state tuition ($61,306.00 vs. $46,932.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.6% higher at Tulane than University of Tulsa ($61,306.00 vs. $46,932.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Tulsa than Tulane ($23,681 vs. $50,631)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Tulsa are 61.6% lower than costs at Tulane University ($11,192 vs. $18,088)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Tulsa than Tulane University (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Tulsa students is 20.1% larger than aid received Tulane University ($39,719 vs. $33,074)

Tulane vs. Tulsa University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Tulane University (1346) is 51 points higher than at Tulsa University (1295)
  • Incoming Tulane students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Tulsa University (29)
  • Accepted freshman Tulsa University students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Tulane (3.64)
  • Tulsa University has a higher acceptance rate (58%) than Tulane (14.6%)

Tulane vs. Tulsa University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Tulane or Tulsa University? 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 Tulsa University and Tulane.

  • Graduates from Tulane University earn on average $15,000 more per year than Tulsa University graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $59,200)
  • University of Tulsa students graduate with a $543 lower median federal student loan debt than Tulane graduates. ($26,986 vs. $27,529)
  • Tulsa University graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Tulane graduates. ($279 vs. $284)
  • More Tulsa University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tulane students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 62%)

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