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TCU Baylor Loyola Marymount UT Austin UT Dallas USD Texas A&M Tulane Oxy Rice UCSC Pepperdine| Santa Clara University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SCU | SMU | ||
| Location | Santa Clara, CA | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 9,340 | 11,842 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #54 | #71 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | scu.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SCU | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,587 | $57,212 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,587 | $57,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,984 | $18,230 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $49,651 | $45,792 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $28,375 | $36,850 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 69% |
Admission |
SCU | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,843 | 15,092 | ||
| Admitted | 8,261 | 9,240 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 43.8% | 61.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.8% | 17.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 30/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1340/1500 | 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 7, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
SCU | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SCU | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $81,900 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $222 |
Diversity |
SCU | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 21% | ||
| % Women | 18% | 19% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 49% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 17% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 0% |
Students |
SCU | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 50% | 41% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 55% | ||
Campus |
SCU | SMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Southern Methodist University is larger than than SCU based on total student enrollment (11,842 students vs. 9,340 students)
SCU vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SCU or SMU?
- Santa Clara University is 2.4% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($58,587.00 vs. $57,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.4% higher at SCU than Southern Methodist University ($58,587.00 vs. $57,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Methodist University than SCU ($45,792 vs. $49,651)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Methodist University are 4.1% lower than costs at Santa Clara University ($18,230 vs. $18,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Clara University than Southern Methodist University (73% vs. 69%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 29.9% larger than aid received Santa Clara University ($36,850 vs. $28,375)
SCU vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SCU or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or SCU .
- The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 17 points higher than at SCU (1313)
- Incoming SCU students have at the same average ACT score (30) as students at SMU (30)
- Accepted freshman SMU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at SCU (3.67)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (61.2%) than SCU (43.8%)
SCU vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SCU 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 SCU.
- The graduation rate at SCU is higher than Southern Methodist University (85% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Santa Clara University earn on average $8,900 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($81,900 vs. $73,000)
- Southern Methodist University and SCU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($21,500 vs. $21,500)
- Southern Methodist University and SCU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($222 vs. $222)
- More SCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/