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TCU Duke Baylor WUSTL Emory Rice UT Austin Notre Dame Georgetown Northwestern UT Dallas Stanford| Vanderbilt University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
| Location | Nashville, TN | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,710 | 12,053 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #14 | #67 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | vanderbilt.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,130 | $55,012 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,130 | $55,012 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,862 | $17,750 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,606 | $45,094 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $53,932 | $35,344 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 65% | 73% |
Admission |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 46,377 | 16,150 | ||
| Admitted | 3,093 | 8,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.7% | 52.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 52.3% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 31/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 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 1, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 92% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $83,100 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,000 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $144 | $222 |
Diversity |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 44% | 50% | ||
| % Women | 56% | 50% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 55% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
Vanderbilt | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 38% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 79% | 58% | ||
Campus |
Vanderbilt | 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
- Vanderbilt University is larger than than SMU based on total student enrollment (13,710 students vs. 12,053 students)
Vanderbilt vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Vanderbilt or SMU?
- Vanderbilt University is 5.7% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($58,130.00 vs. $55,012.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at Vanderbilt than Southern Methodist University ($58,130.00 vs. $55,012.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vanderbilt University than SMU ($25,606 vs. $45,094)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Methodist University are 11.9% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($17,750 vs. $19,862)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Vanderbilt University (73% vs. 65%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 52.6% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($53,932 vs. $35,344)
Vanderbilt vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Vanderbilt or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Vanderbilt .
- The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 168 points higher than at SMU (1330)
- Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at SMU (30)
- Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at SMU (3.68)
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (52.3%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)
Vanderbilt vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Vanderbilt 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 Vanderbilt.
- The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than Southern Methodist University (92% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $10,100 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $73,000)
- Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SMU graduates. ($14,000 vs. $21,500)
- Vanderbilt graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than SMU graduates. ($144 vs. $222)
- More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/