Southern Methodist University campus

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SMU Salaries

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Salaries by Major

Salaries by Major at Southern Methodist University

This page shows median first-year earnings for SMU graduates by major, based on federal College Scorecard data. Six years after enrolling, former students who are working and no longer in school report average earnings of $58,100 per year; after ten years, average earnings are $73,000. See post-graduation earnings for full trends over time.

Below, majors are ranked by median first-year earnings.

The highest-paying undergraduate degree is Computer Science, with median first-year earnings of $72,100 , followed by Operations Research at $70,100 , and Mechanical Engineering at $68,400 .

Among graduate and professional degree programs, the highest-paying program is Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Master's Degree), with median first-year earnings of $106,500 , followed by Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) at $105,600 , and Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degree) at $100,900 .

First-year earnings data come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and reflect IRS-reported income for Southern Methodist University graduates who received federal grants or loans. Some programs are omitted for privacy.

Median first-year earnings for Southern Methodist University graduates ranked by degree type and major
Major Earnings
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations (Master's Degree) $106,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) $105,600
Finance and Financial Management Services (Master's Degree) $100,900
Marketing (Master's Degree) $97,000
Systems Engineering (Master's Degree) $91,300
Computer Systems Analysis (Master's Degree) $78,700
Law (First Professional Degree) $75,600
Computer Science (Bachelor’s Degree) $72,100
Operations Research (Bachelor’s Degree) $70,100
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor’s Degree) $68,400
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor’s Degree) $68,100
Mathematics (Bachelor’s Degree) $60,500
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degree) $60,400
Economics (Bachelor’s Degree) $59,000
Education, Other (Master's Degree) $56,400
Marketing (Bachelor’s Degree) $53,900
Graphic Communications (Post-baccalaureate Certificate) $50,200
Political Science and Government (Bachelor’s Degree) $49,100
Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degree) $48,600
Graphic Communications (Master's Degree) $46,900
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor’s Degree) $45,600
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (Master's Degree) $43,000
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor’s Degree) $41,900
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) $39,900
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degree) $39,800
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor’s Degree) $39,300
Liberal Arts and Sciences Studies and Humanities (Bachelor’s Degree) $39,100
Graphic Communications (Graduate/Professional Certificate) $38,800
English Language and Literature (Bachelor’s Degree) $38,300
Journalism (Bachelor’s Degree) $34,900
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) $34,200
Music (Master's Degree) $33,200
Sociology (Bachelor’s Degree) $32,100
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) $27,900
Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) $26,500
Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) $26,400
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor’s Degree) $17,600

Other Colleges to Consider

Students considering Southern Methodist University often consider these colleges

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=228246.

First-year earnings by major: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Last updated: August 2026