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TCU Baylor UT Austin UT Dallas Texas A&M Tulane Rice Trinity SCU UNC Chapel Hill University of Richmond Pepperdine| Wake Forest University | Southern Methodist University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
| Location | Winston Salem, NC | Dallas, TX | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 9,121 | 11,842 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #44 | #71 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wfu.edu | smu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,608 | $57,212 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,608 | $57,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,848 | $18,230 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,790 | $45,792 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,090 | $36,850 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 34% | 69% |
Admission |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,479 | 15,092 | ||
| Admitted | 3,768 | 9,240 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 21.6% | 61.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.8% | 17.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 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 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 75% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $77,200 | $73,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 88% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,000 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $237 | $222 |
Diversity |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 16% | 21% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 19% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 72% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 41% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 76% | 55% | ||
Campus |
Wake Forest | SMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Southern Methodist University is larger than than Wake Forest based on total student enrollment (11,842 students vs. 9,121 students)
Wake Forest vs. SMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or SMU?
- Wake Forest University is 11.2% more expensive to attend than SMU for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $57,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 11.2% higher at Wake Forest than Southern Methodist University ($63,608.00 vs. $57,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than SMU ($27,790 vs. $45,792)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wake Forest University are 2.1% lower than costs at Southern Methodist University ($17,848 vs. $18,230)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Methodist University than Wake Forest University (69% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 49.5% larger than aid received Southern Methodist University ($55,090 vs. $36,850)
Wake Forest vs. SMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Wake Forest or SMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SMU or Wake Forest .
- SMU has a higher acceptance rate (61.2%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)
Wake Forest vs. SMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Wake Forest 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 Wake Forest.
- The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Southern Methodist University (88% vs. 75%)
- Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $4,200 more per year than SMU graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $73,000)
- Southern Methodist University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wake Forest graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,000)
- SMU graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Wake Forest graduates. ($222 vs. $237)
- More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SMU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/