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George Washington TCU Baylor UT Austin UT Dallas Texas A&M Tulane Georgetown Rice Trinity Fordham SCU| American University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
AU | SMU | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,019 | 11,842 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #84 | #71 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,724 | $57,212 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,724 | $57,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,012 | $18,230 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $40,189 | $45,792 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,402 | $36,850 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 69% |
Admission |
AU | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 15,092 | ||
| Admitted | 8,427 | 9,240 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.4% | 61.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22% | 17.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 30/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1450 | 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 | Jan 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
AU | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
AU | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $64,800 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $222 |
Diversity |
AU | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 21% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 19% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
AU | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 41% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 55% | ||
Campus |
AU | SMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- American University is larger than than SMU based on total student enrollment (13,019 students vs. 11,842 students)
AU vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or SMU?
- Southern Methodist University is 2.7% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($57,212.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at SMU than American University ($57,212.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at American University than SMU ($40,189 vs. $45,792)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 7.2% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($17,012 vs. $18,230)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than American University (69% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 17.3% larger than aid received American University ($36,850 vs. $31,402)
AU vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or AU .
- The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 78 points higher than at AU (1252)
- Incoming SMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at AU (28)
- Accepted freshman AU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at SMU (3.68)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (61.2%) than AU (47.4%)
AU vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU 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 AU.
- The graduation rate at AU is higher than Southern Methodist University (77% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Southern Methodist University earn on average $8,200 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($73,000 vs. $64,800)
- Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,250)
- SMU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
- More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/