Southern Methodist University

What are the graduation rates for students at Southern Methodist University?

SMU reports a 76% four-year graduation rate and an 84% six-year graduation rate for the first-time, full-time undergraduate cohorts represented in its federal reporting. These measures track whether students in a defined entering cohort complete a degree within the stated period; they do not describe every transfer, part-time, or graduate student.

The reported first-year retention rate is 91%, meaning most students in the measured cohort returned the following fall. Graduation and retention figures are useful when comparing institutions, but they do not explain why an individual student stayed, left, or took longer to finish. Transfer credits, a change of major, and course sequencing can all affect an individual timeline.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Southern Methodist University?

College Scorecard field-of-study figures offer a limited view of earnings one year after completion for graduates included in federal-aid-linked records. They should not be read as starting-salary offers for every graduate or as a promise of earnings from a particular major.

Reported one-year median earnings for selected SMU fields include computer science at $74,528, mechanical engineering at $68,406, finance at $66,678, and marketing at $52,225. Other reported fields include communication and media studies at $38,996 and biology at $34,322. These are separate field-level observations, not a ranking adjusted for occupation, graduate study, location, or hours worked.

The measure can omit graduates who are not represented in the underlying earnings records, and some fields have no publishable figure. One year is also a short window for professions that commonly require further study. Students evaluating outcomes should consider program costs, likely borrowing, internships, and longer-term career paths alongside the published earnings measure.