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UT Austin Baylor TCU Texas Tech OU UT Dallas UNT Texas State UH Tulane Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi UTSA| Southern Methodist University | Texas A&M University College Station | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
| Location | Dallas, TX | College Station, TX | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 11,842 | 76,633 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #71 | #121 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | smu.edu | tamu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $57,212 | $9,199 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $57,212 | $36,428 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,230 | $13,154 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $45,792 | $21,610 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $36,850 | $11,607 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 69% | 61% |
Admission |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,092 | 50,832 | ||
| Admitted | 9,240 | 32,149 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 61.2% | 63.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 17.2% | 42.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 30/34 | 25/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1320/1480 | 1140/1380 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Dec 1, 2025 |
Academics |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
| Graduation Rate | 75% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $73,000 | $65,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 81% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $18,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $193 |
Diversity |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 21% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 19% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 65% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 22% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 8% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 41% | 94% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 55% | 5% | ||
Campus |
SMU | Texas A&M | ||
| 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
- Texas A&M University College Station is larger than than SMU based on total student enrollment (76,633 students vs. 11,842 students)
SMU vs. Texas A&M Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SMU or Texas A&M?
- Southern Methodist University is 521.9% more expensive to attend than Texas A&M for in-state tuition ($57,212.00 vs. $9,199.00)
- Out of state tuition is 57.1% higher at SMU than Texas A&M University College Station ($57,212.00 vs. $36,428.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas A&M University College Station than SMU ($21,610 vs. $45,792)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas A&M University College Station are 38.6% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($13,154 vs. $18,230)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Texas A&M University College Station (69% vs. 61%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 217.5% larger than aid received Texas A&M University College Station ($36,850 vs. $11,607)
SMU vs. Texas A&M Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SMU or Texas A&M? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Texas A&M or SMU .
- The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 118 points higher than at Texas A&M (1212)
- Incoming SMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Texas A&M (28)
- Accepted freshman SMU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.68) as students at Texas A&M (3.68)
- Texas A&M has a higher acceptance rate (63.2%) than SMU (61.2%)
SMU vs. Texas A&M Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SMU or Texas A&M? 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 Texas A&M and SMU.
- The graduation rate at Texas A&M is higher than Southern Methodist University (81% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Southern Methodist University earn on average $7,400 more per year than Texas A&M graduates after ten years. ($73,000 vs. $65,600)
- Texas A&M University College Station students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $21,500)
- Texas A&M graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($193 vs. $222)
- More Texas A&M graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/