UT Austin vs Southern Methodist University (SMU)

Nestled in the heart of Texas, The University of Texas at Austin and Southern Methodist University stand as two prominent institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. UT Austin boasts a significantly larger student body and a higher acceptance rate, while SMU offers a more intimate learning environment with a lower student-to-faculty ratio. In terms of popular majors, UT Austin excels in engineering, business, and natural sciences, while SMU is renowned for its strengths in business, engineering, and the arts. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the distinctions between these two esteemed universities and discover which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Southern Methodist University	The University of Texas at Austin
Overview
Location	Dallas, Texas	Austin, Texas
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	91.0%	96.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	53.1%	28.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $75	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1340 - 1510	1230 - 1500
ACT range	31 - 34	27 - 33
Students submitting SAT score	16.0%	56.0%
Students submitting ACT score	23.0%	26.0%
Total number of applicants	15,685	66,077
Total number of admissions given out	8,333	18,994
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,572	9,060
Yield rate	18.9%	47.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$72,336	In state: $29,788 Out of state: $59,032
Average net price	$41,986	$16,589
Tuition	$53,464	In state: $11,752 Out of state: $40,996
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $10,860 Meal plan: $6,578	$12,768
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	74.0% Average amount $34,940	51.0% Average amount $12,725
Students receiving federal student loan	25.0% Average amount $5,241	28.0% Average amount $4,961
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $29,055	1.0% Average amount $16,366

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,908 Men 50.5% Women 49.5%	40,916 Men 43.4% Women 56.6%
Graduate students	5,477 Men 52.4% Women 47.6%	11,075 Men 49.5% Women 50.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	59.4%	9.2%
International students	8.1%	9.1%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	3,403	7,809
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Texas California Florida New York Illinois	Texas California New York New Jersey Illinois

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Engineering Education Legal Profession Computer and Information Science	Business Engineering Multidisciplinary Studies Communication and Journalism Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	82.4%	87.8%
Dropout rate	4.7%	11.7%
Transferred out	12.4%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $130,952 Year 2: $131,707 Year 3: $149,763 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $122,716 Year 2: $97,959 Year 3: $131,523 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $115,909 Year 2: $120,124 Year 3: $127,068 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $92,526 Year 2: $100,607 Year 3: $120,559 Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $109,082 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $119,993 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,247 Year 2: $102,706 Year 3: $108,654 Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $87,293 Year 2: $88,723 Year 3: $99,721 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $89,133 Year 2: $79,558 Year 3: $97,550 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $83,714 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $93,999 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $81,984 Year 2: $80,550 Year 3: $92,064

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key differences in location and campus environment between UT Austin and SMU?

UT Austin is located in the vibrant city of Austin, offering a large, public university experience with a diverse student body and a bustling city life. SMU, on the other hand, is situated in Dallas, providing a more intimate, private university setting with a focus on a strong campus community and access to the resources of a major metropolitan area.
How do the academic programs at UT Austin and SMU compare?

UT Austin boasts a wider range of academic programs and a larger faculty, providing more options for students. It is particularly strong in fields like engineering, business, and liberal arts. SMU offers a more focused selection of programs, with notable strengths in business, law, and the arts. SMU's smaller class sizes often allow for more personalized attention from professors.
What is the student body like at UT Austin versus SMU?

UT Austin has a significantly larger student body, representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds and interests. This can lead to a more diverse social environment. SMU has a smaller, more selective student body, often characterized by a strong sense of community and a focus on leadership development.
How does the cost of attendance compare between UT Austin and SMU?

Generally, UT Austin is more affordable than SMU, especially for Texas residents, due to its status as a public university. SMU, being a private institution, has a higher tuition and overall cost of attendance. However, both universities offer financial aid and scholarship opportunities to help offset these costs.
What are the strengths of the career services at UT Austin and SMU?

Both universities offer robust career services. UT Austin's career services benefit from its large alumni network and connections to a wide range of industries, particularly in Texas and beyond. SMU's career services often emphasize networking and personalized career guidance, leveraging its strong ties to the Dallas business community and beyond.
How do the extracurricular activities and student life differ at UT Austin and SMU?

UT Austin offers a vast array of extracurricular activities, clubs, and organizations, reflecting its large student body and diverse interests. The university is known for its strong athletic programs and vibrant campus traditions. SMU provides a more close-knit campus environment with a focus on Greek life, student leadership, and a variety of clubs and organizations, fostering a strong sense of community.
What are the admission requirements like for UT Austin and SMU?

Both universities are highly selective. UT Austin considers a wide range of factors in its admissions process, including academic performance, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and essays. SMU also considers these factors, often placing a greater emphasis on leadership potential, demonstrated interest, and the overall fit with the university's values and community.
How does the research environment compare at UT Austin and SMU?

UT Austin is a major research university with extensive research opportunities across various disciplines, supported by significant funding and resources. SMU also offers research opportunities, particularly in its areas of strength, but on a smaller scale. UT Austin generally provides more extensive research infrastructure and a broader scope of research areas.
What are the housing options like at UT Austin and SMU?

UT Austin offers a wide variety of on-campus and off-campus housing options to accommodate its large student population. SMU provides a more limited selection of on-campus housing, often emphasizing a residential college experience, which fosters a strong sense of community among students.
Which university is better for a student interested in Greek life?

SMU has a very active and prominent Greek life system, which plays a significant role in the social life of many students. While UT Austin also has Greek organizations, they are less central to the overall campus culture compared to SMU.

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