Southern Methodist University

Southern Methodist University is a large private non-profit R2 doctoral research university located in Dallas, Texas, with an undergraduate enrollment of 7,277. Classified as a doctoral research university, it supports graduate programs in select disciplines and allocates significant resources to faculty research activity alongside its undergraduate mission. As an independently governed, non-profit institution relying on tuition, endowment returns, and philanthropic support, it operates within the broader Texas postsecondary education landscape and is regionally accredited, making its credits and degrees eligible for federal financial aid. With a 63% acceptance rate, admission is broadly accessible. With a 63% acceptance rate, the institution is broadly accessible while maintaining academic standards. Net price for families earning \$48,001–$75,000 averages $24,152 per year. The highest program-level earnings outcomes are in CIP 00 — 10-year median earnings among aid recipients in these fields reach $188,716. The 4-year graduation rate is 84%, 39 percentage points above the national average of 45%. Among students who received federal financial aid, 10-year median earnings are $78,354. FIRE rates the campus free speech climate at 60/100 — a mixed record on speech protections.