Tulane vs. SMU

Should I go to Tulane University or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Tulane or SMU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Tulane University vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
Tulane University Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
Tulane University Southern Methodist University
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Overview

Tulane SMU
Location New Orleans, LA Dallas, TX
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,027 12,053
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #67
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tulane.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Tulane SMU
Tuition (In State) $58,666 $55,012
Tuition (Out of State) $58,666 $55,012
Room & Board $17,346 $17,750
Avg Net Price $50,263 $45,094
Avg Grant Aid $30,747 $35,344
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 73%

Admission

Tulane SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 31,615 16,150
Admitted 3,621 8,439
Acceptance Rate 11.5% 52.3%
Enrolled % 50.9% 19.4%
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 31/34
SAT Range 1370/1510 1370/1510
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Tulane SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

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 39% 50%
% Women 61% 50%
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% 38%
% Out-of-State 86% 58%

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 (14,027 students vs. 12,053 students)

Tulane vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tulane or SMU?

  • Tulane University is 6.6% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($58,666.00 vs. $55,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.6% higher at Tulane than Southern Methodist University ($58,666.00 vs. $55,012.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Methodist University than Tulane ($45,094 vs. $50,263)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tulane University are 2.3% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($17,346 vs. $17,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Tulane University (73% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 15% larger than aid received Tulane University ($35,344 vs. $30,747)

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 (52.3%) than Tulane (11.5%)

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/