UH vs. SMU

Should I go to University of Houston or Southern Methodist University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UH 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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University of Houston vs. Southern Methodist University comparison
University of Houston Southern Methodist University College 3 College 4
University of Houston Southern Methodist University
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Overview

 UH SMU
Location Houston, TX Dallas, TX
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 46,676 11,842
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #468 #71
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uh.edu smu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH SMU
Tuition (In State) $8,685 $57,212
Tuition (Out of State) $21,165 $57,212
Room & Board $10,830 $18,230
Avg Net Price $13,738 $45,792
Avg Grant Aid $11,551 $36,850
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 69%

Admission

 UH SMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,327 15,092
Admitted 21,087 9,240
Acceptance Rate 69.5% 61.2%
Enrolled % 26.8% 17.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 23/28 30/34
SAT Range 1150/1330 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 May 31, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 UH SMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

 UH SMU
Graduation Rate 46% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $73,000
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $204 $222

Diversity

 UH SMU
% Men 9% 21%
% Women 10% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 26% 65%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 32% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 5% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 UH SMU
% In-State 93% 41%
% Out-of-State 3% 55%

Campus

 UH 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

  • University of Houston is larger than than SMU based on total student enrollment (46,676 students vs. 11,842 students)

UH vs. SMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH or SMU?

  • Southern Methodist University is 558.7% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($57,212.00 vs. $8,685.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 170.3% higher at SMU than University of Houston ($57,212.00 vs. $21,165.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than SMU ($13,738 vs. $45,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 68.3% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($10,830 vs. $18,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Houston than Southern Methodist University (74% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Methodist University students is 219% larger than aid received University of Houston ($36,850 vs. $11,551)

UH vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UH or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or UH .

  • The average SAT score at Southern Methodist University (1330) is 176 points higher than at UH (1154)
  • Incoming SMU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UH (26)
  • Accepted freshman SMU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UH (3.46)
  • UH has a higher acceptance rate (69.5%) than SMU (61.2%)

UH vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH 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 UH.

  • The graduation rate at SMU is higher than University of Houston (75% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Southern Methodist University earn on average $14,000 more per year than UH graduates after ten years. ($73,000 vs. $59,000)
  • University of Houston students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $21,500)
  • UH graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($204 vs. $222)
  • More SMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 61%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/