OU vs. SU

Should I go to University of Oklahoma Norman Campus or Southwestern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OU or SU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus vs. Southwestern University comparison
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Southwestern University College 3 College 4
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Southwestern University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

OU SU
Location Norman, OK Georgetown, TX
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 28,042 1,504
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #176
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ou.edu southwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OU SU
Tuition (In State) $4,920 $46,800
Tuition (Out of State) $20,724 $46,800
Room & Board $11,700 $12,000
Avg Net Price $21,836 $29,830
Avg Grant Aid $9,786 $27,990
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 99%

Admission

OU SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,318 4,757
Admitted 14,760 2,428
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 51%
Enrolled % 31% 14.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 25/31
SAT Range 1150/1340 1150/1330
Submit Test Scores Considered but not required Considered but not required
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

OU SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

OU SU
Graduation Rate 67% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,300 $57,400
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $26,893
Median Loan Payment $206 $278

Diversity

OU SU
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 62%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 22%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

OU SU
% In-State 54% 85%
% Out-of-State 43% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is larger than than SU based on total student enrollment (28,042 students vs. 1,504 students)

OU vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OU or SU?

  • Southwestern University is 851.2% more expensive to attend than OU for in-state tuition ($46,800.00 vs. $4,920.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 125.8% higher at SU than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($46,800.00 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 SU ($21,836 vs. $29,830)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus are 2.6% lower than costs at Southwestern University ($11,700 vs. $12,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwestern University than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern University students is 186% larger than aid received University of Oklahoma Norman Campus ($27,990 vs. $9,786)

OU vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (1204) is 36 points higher than at SU (1168)
  • Incoming OU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SU (26)
  • Accepted freshman OU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at SU (3.5)
  • OU has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than SU (51%)

OU vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OU or SU? 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 SU and OU.

  • The graduation rate at SU is higher than University of Oklahoma Norman Campus (73% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn on average $1,900 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($59,300 vs. $57,400)
  • University of Oklahoma Norman Campus students graduate with a $6,893 lower median federal student loan debt than SU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $26,893)
  • OU graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than SU graduates. ($206 vs. $278)
  • More SU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 68%)

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