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TCU Baylor UT Austin Emory Miami UT Dallas Texas A&M Rice LSU University of Richmond Trinity SCU| Tulane University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Tulane | SMU | ||
| Location | New Orleans, LA | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,078 | 11,842 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #71 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | tulane.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Tulane | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,306 | $57,212 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,306 | $57,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,088 | $18,230 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $50,631 | $45,792 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $33,074 | $36,850 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 60% | 69% |
Admission |
Tulane | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 27,936 | 15,092 | ||
| Admitted | 4,077 | 9,240 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 14.6% | 61.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 45.8% | 17.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.64 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 31/33 | 30/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1390/1510 | 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 |
Tulane | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Tulane | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $74,200 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 62% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,529 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $284 | $222 |
Diversity |
Tulane | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 21% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 19% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 70% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 3% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
Tulane | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 41% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 86% | 55% | ||
Campus |
Tulane | 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
- Tulane University is larger than than SMU based on total student enrollment (13,078 students vs. 11,842 students)
Tulane vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Tulane or SMU?
- Tulane University is 7.2% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($61,306.00 vs. $57,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Tulane than Southern Methodist University ($61,306.00 vs. $57,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Methodist University than Tulane ($45,792 vs. $50,631)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tulane University are 0.8% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($18,088 vs. $18,230)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Tulane University (69% vs. 60%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 11.4% larger than aid received Tulane University ($36,850 vs. $33,074)
Tulane vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Tulane or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Tulane .
- The average SAT score at Tulane University (1346) is 16 points higher than at SMU (1330)
- Incoming Tulane students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at SMU (30)
- Accepted freshman SMU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Tulane (3.64)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (61.2%) than Tulane (14.6%)
Tulane vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Tulane 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 Tulane.
- Graduates from Tulane University earn on average $1,200 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $73,000)
- Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $6,029 lower median federal student loan debt than Tulane graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,529)
- SMU graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Tulane graduates. ($222 vs. $284)
- More SMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tulane students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 62%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/