University of St Thomas vs. SMU

Should I go to University of St Thomas or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of St Thomas 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

TCU Baylor UT Austin UT Dallas Texas A&M Tulane Rice Trinity SCU Pepperdine UNT Villanova
University of St Thomas vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
University of St Thomas Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
University of St Thomas Southern Methodist University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

University of St Thomas SMU
Location Houston, TX Dallas, TX
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,813 11,842
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #462 #71
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stthom.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of St Thomas SMU
Tuition (In State) $32,900 $57,212
Tuition (Out of State) $32,900 $57,212
Room & Board $10,248 $18,230
Avg Net Price $20,469 $45,792
Avg Grant Aid $23,688 $36,850
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 69%

Admission

University of St Thomas SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,591 15,092
Admitted 1,485 9,240
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 61.2%
Enrolled % 45.3% 17.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 30/34
SAT Range 1075/1340 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)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

University of St Thomas SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

University of St Thomas SMU
Graduation Rate 44% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $222

Diversity

University of St Thomas SMU
% Men 9% 21%
% Women 13% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 28% 65%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 40% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

University of St Thomas SMU
% In-State 96% 41%
% Out-of-State 2% 55%

Campus

University of St Thomas 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 University of St Thomas based on total student enrollment (11,842 students vs. 3,813 students)

University of St Thomas vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of St Thomas or SMU?

  • Southern Methodist University is 73.9% more expensive to attend than University of St Thomas for in-state tuition ($57,212.00 vs. $32,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.9% higher at SMU than University of St Thomas ($57,212.00 vs. $32,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of St Thomas than SMU ($20,469 vs. $45,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of St Thomas are 77.9% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($10,248 vs. $18,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of St Thomas than Southern Methodist University (93% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 55.6% larger than aid received University of St Thomas ($36,850 vs. $23,688)

University of St Thomas vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 227 points higher than at University of St Thomas (1103)
  • Incoming SMU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at University of St Thomas (25)
  • Accepted freshman SMU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at University of St Thomas (3.53)
  • University of St Thomas has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than SMU (61.2%)

University of St Thomas vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of St Thomas 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 University of St Thomas.

  • The graduation rate at SMU is higher than University of St Thomas (75% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Southern Methodist University earn on average $15,800 more per year than University of St Thomas graduates after ten years. ($73,000 vs. $57,200)
  • Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than University of St Thomas graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,000)
  • SMU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than University of St Thomas graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More SMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of St Thomas students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 59%)

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