Southern Methodist University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Southern Methodist University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

11:1
Student to faculty ratio
26
Average class size
76%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

SMU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
244
10-19
536
20-29
235
30-39
172
40-49
105
50-99
134
100+
20

Honors Programs

Southern Methodist University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on SMU's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Southern Methodist University:

91%
First-year retention rate
76%
4-year grad rate
84%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $90,860. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$90,860
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Southern Methodist University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Finance, General
Economics, General
Psychology, General
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management
Computer Science
46
92.8
139.6
186.4
233.2
280

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • African-American/Black Studies 1
  • French Studies 1
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies 0
  • African-American/Black Studies 0
  • Italian Studies 0
  • Latin American Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 77
  • Biochemistry 15
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 3
  • Biophysics 0
  • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 0
Business
  • Finance, General 280
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 72
  • Accounting 56
  • Office Management and Supervision 45
  • Real Estate 32
  • Business Administration and Management, General 28
  • Management Science 24
  • Financial Planning and Services 0
  • Insurance 0
  • Management Information Systems, General 0
Communication
  • Advertising 50
  • Organizational Communication, General 36
  • Communication and Media Studies, Other 33
  • Public Relations/Image Management 32
  • Journalism 29
  • Journalism 9
  • Public Relations/Image Management 8
  • Communication and Media Studies, Other 8
  • Organizational Communication, General 5
  • Advertising 2
  • Communication, General 1
  • Communication and Media Studies 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 85
Education
  • Education, General 14
  • Music Teacher Education 8
  • Education, General 2
  • Music Teacher Education 1
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 50
  • Operations Research 23
  • Civil Engineering, General 15
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 12
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 4
  • Computer Engineering, General 3
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering 1
  • Engineering, General 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering/Industrial Management 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 15
  • Creative Writing 8
  • Creative Writing 1
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 21
  • French Language and Literature 12
  • Spanish Language and Literature 5
  • Italian Language and Literature 1
  • German Language and Literature 1
  • French Language and Literature 1
  • Chinese Language and Literature 0
  • Arabic Language and Literature 0
  • Russian Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 16
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 8
  • Music Therapy/Therapist 3
History
  • History, General 25
  • History, General 1
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 39
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 1
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 0
  • General Studies 0
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Statistics, General 33
  • Mathematics, General 20
  • Statistics, General 9
  • Mathematics, General 1
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Data Science, General 49
  • International/Globalization Studies 9
  • International/Globalization Studies 5
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
  • Data Science, General 0
  • Medieval and Renaissance Studies 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 0
  • Environmental Studies 0
Parks
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 130
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 23
  • Philosophy 5
  • Religion/Religious Studies 4
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 8
  • Chemistry, General 8
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 4
  • Physics, General 1
  • Geophysics and Seismology 0
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 130
  • Psychology, General 10
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • International Policy Analysis 14
  • Public Policy Analysis, General 14
  • Public Policy Analysis, General 11
  • International Policy Analysis 9
Social Sciences
  • Economics, General 172
  • Political Science and Government, General 55
  • Sociology, General 10
  • Anthropology, General 9
  • Economics, General 8
  • Political Science and Government, General 7
  • Anthropology, General 5
  • Sociology, General 3
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 0
  • Applied Economics 0
  • Social Sciences, General 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 37
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 31
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 14
  • Music, General 14
  • Dance, General 13
  • Design and Applied Arts, Other 11
  • Music Performance, General 6
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 6
  • Music Performance, General 4
  • Music Theory and Composition 3
  • Keyboard Instruments 2
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 1
  • Voice and Opera 1
  • Design and Applied Arts, Other 1
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 0
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