OU vs. SMU

Should I go to University of Oklahoma Norman Campus or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OU 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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University of Oklahoma Norman Campus vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Southern Methodist University
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Overview

OU SMU
Location Norman, OK Dallas, TX
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 28,042 12,385
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #65
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ou.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OU SMU
Tuition (In State) $4,920 $53,464
Tuition (Out of State) $20,724 $53,464
Room & Board $11,700 $17,438
Avg Net Price $21,836 $41,444
Avg Grant Aid $9,786 $34,890
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 77%

Admission

OU SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,318 15,685
Admitted 14,760 8,333
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 53.1%
Enrolled % 31% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 31/34
SAT Range 1150/1340 1340/1510
Submit Test Scores Considered but not required Considered but not required
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

OU SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

OU SMU
Graduation Rate 67% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,300 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $206 $222

Diversity

OU SMU
% Men 48% 51%
% Women 52% 49%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 65%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 11%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

OU SMU
% In-State 54% 40%
% Out-of-State 43% 57%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is larger than than SMU based on total student enrollment (28,042 students vs. 12,385 students)

OU vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OU or SMU?

  • Southern Methodist University is 986.7% more expensive to attend than OU for in-state tuition ($53,464.00 vs. $4,920.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 158% higher at SMU than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($53,464.00 vs. $20,724.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus than SMU ($21,836 vs. $41,444)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus are 49% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($11,700 vs. $17,438)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus than Southern Methodist University (94% vs. 77%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 256.5% larger than aid received University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($34,890 vs. $9,786)

OU vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 126 points higher than at OU (1204)
  • Incoming SMU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at OU (27)
  • Accepted freshman SMU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at OU (3.66)
  • OU has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than SMU (53.1%)

OU vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OU 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 OU.

  • The graduation rate at SMU is higher than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (75% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Southern Methodist University earn on average $13,700 more per year than OU graduates after ten years. ($73,000 vs. $59,300)
  • University of Oklahoma Norman Campus students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $21,500)
  • OU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($206 vs. $222)
  • More SMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 68%)

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