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Is Southern Methodist University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Southern Methodist, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Workable
Southern Methodist lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $19,500 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $78,354, but the margin is not huge. For context, Southern Methodist's net price sits about 101% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school and near the top of its sector range. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$45,792
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis significantly impacts your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $22,955 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $92,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is doing real work against the score and raises the financing burden quickly.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$40,892
Median earnings 10 years out
$78,354
Median debt at graduation
$19,500
Graduation rate
84%
At Southern Methodist, a typical graduate carries about $19,500 in student debt and earns roughly $78,354 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $222 per month, or 3% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Southern Methodist is a private nonprofit four year school in Dallas, TX. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Baylor
Waco, TX
Worth-It Score: 52/100
Median net price: $41,104
Private nonprofit 4-year
Texas Christian
Fort Worth, TX
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $36,660
Private nonprofit 4-year
Southwestern
Georgetown, TX
Worth-It Score: 55/100
Median net price: $29,224
Private nonprofit 4-year
Parker
Dallas, TX
Worth-It Score: 41/100
Median net price: $29,135
Private nonprofit 4-year
Dallas Baptist
Dallas, TX
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $28,516
Common questions about Southern Methodist
The median net price at Southern Methodist is $40,892 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in Texas? See the most affordable private colleges in Texas →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →