Southern Methodist University (SMU) vs Cornell

Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Cornell University are two prestigious institutions of higher learning with distinct characteristics. SMU, located in the vibrant city of Dallas, Texas, offers a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with a focus on business, engineering, and the arts. Cornell, situated in the scenic town of Ithaca, New York, is renowned for its rigorous academics, world-class research facilities, and a wide array of undergraduate and graduate programs, including agriculture, engineering, and hospitality management. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Cornell University logo

Cornell University

Southern Methodist University logo

Southern Methodist University

Overview

Location Ithaca, New York Dallas, Texas
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 91.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 8.7% 53.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $105
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $75
SAT range 1450 - 1560 1340 - 1510
ACT range 33 - 35 31 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 41.0% 16.0%
Students submitting ACT score 20.0% 23.0%
Total number of applicants 67,380 15,685
Total number of admissions given out 5,852 8,333
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,718 1,572
Yield rate 63.5% 18.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $80,287 $72,336
Average net price $24,262 $41,986
Tuition $60,286 $53,464
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,962

Meal plan: $6,434
Room/dormitory: $10,860

Meal plan: $6,578
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

50.0%
Average amount $52,674
74.0%
Average amount $34,940
Students receiving federal student loan 26.0%
Average amount $3,924
25.0%
Average amount $5,241
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $8,357
5.0%
Average amount $29,055

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 15,503
Men 46.1% Women 53.9%
6,908
Men 50.5% Women 49.5%
Graduate students 10,079
Men 51.0% Women 49.0%
5,477
Men 52.4% Women 47.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 64.3% 59.4%
International students 24.4% 8.1%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 7,422 3,403
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York California New Jersey Florida Pennsylvania Texas California Florida New York Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Legal Profession
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 94.1% 82.4%
Dropout rate 5.2% 4.7%
Transferred out N/A 12.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Law (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $185,154
  • Year 2: $172,867
  • Year 3: $207,272
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $150,786
  • Year 2: $145,332
  • Year 3: $167,695
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,764
  • Year 2: $122,485
  • Year 3: $158,076
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $147,241
  • Year 2: $127,397
  • Year 3: $155,653
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,311
  • Year 2: $111,926
  • Year 3: $126,082
Operations Research (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,067
  • Year 2: $109,763
  • Year 3: $124,590
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,459
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $109,597
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,672
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $109,553
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,847
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $107,658
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $106,693
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,915
  • Year 2: $111,196
  • Year 3: $127,135
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $118,537
  • Year 2: $120,363
  • Year 3: $120,106
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,239
  • Year 2: $101,558
  • Year 3: $116,891
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,021
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $112,196
Marketing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,842
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $107,302
Computer Systems Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,251
  • Year 2: $81,491
  • Year 3: $100,026
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,824
  • Year 2: $86,867
  • Year 3: $99,671
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,633
  • Year 2: $81,554
  • Year 3: $99,143
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,678
  • Year 2: $73,446
  • Year 3: $89,611
Operations Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $89,319

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