by our College Data Analytics TeamHome to about 6,827 undergraduates in 2020, SMU is a large, private university located in Dallas, Texas. A safe, suburban environment can offer many of the amenities of city living without the constant hum. Should you tire of the campus however, SMU offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by SMU can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our SMU Guide to Distance and Online Learning.
Some, but not all, schools with a religious affiliation may require a statement of faith or religious studies component. Contact the school to see what their requirements are. If an affinity with the United Methodist faith interests you, check out our ranking of The Best United Methodist Colleges and Universities.
Individuals with disabilities make up 12.0% of the student population at SMU. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit SMU Disability Services.
While not a "service academy", SMU does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit SMU Veteran Services . For more information, check out our SMU for Veterans Guide.
For students with young families, SMU does offer some day care. Programs like this are often in very high demand, so be sure to inquire as soon as you can.
SMU offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.
* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.
SMU has a comparatively large, student body. There were 6,827 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 6,616 (96.9%). Part-time attendance was 211 (3.1%).
| Full-time | Part-time | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 6,616 | 211 | 6,827 |
Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, SMU receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank SMU #79 out of 3,451.
The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.
You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at SMU by looking closer at the ethnic, gender, age, and geographic diversity metrics from the SMU Diversity Guide.
SMU has a total of 500 student athletes, 244 men and 256 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.
| Total Revenue (all teams) | $42,632,627 |
| Total Expenses (all teams) | $42,632,627 |
| Net | $0 |
For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Southern Methodist University Athletics