The 2025 tuition & fees of Southern Methodist University is $67,040 and the 2025 graduate school tuition & fees is $37,278. Its undergraduate tuition & fees is much higher than the average tuition for R2 Universities' tuition of $31,790.
Based on the last year increase rate, The 2026 estimated tuition & fees at SMU is $69,723 for Texas residents and $69,723 for out-of-state students, a 4.0% increase compared to 2025's rate.
| Year | Tuition & Fees | R2 Universities' Average |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | $64,460 | $30,674 |
| 2024-2025 | $67,040 | $31,790 |
| Change % 2024-2025 | 4.00% | 3.64% |
| 2025-2026 Estimate | $69,723 | $32,947 |
The living costs at SMU is $21,762 when living on campus. The on-campus living costs increased by 4.47% compared to the previous year. The off-campus living costs increased by 4.50%.
The SMU's 2025 COA is $89,602 for on-campus living and off-campus COA is $81,852.
68% of enrolled students have received grants or scholarships, and the average aid amount is $37,410. It could cover 55.80% of the full tuition amount.
After receiving the financial aid, the net price is $52,192.
| On-Campus | Off-Campus | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $67,040 | |
| Room & Board | $19,064 | $11,314 |
| Personal Expenses | $2,698 | $2,698 |
| Books & Supplies | $800 | |
| COA | $89,602 | $81,852 |
| COA with Financial Aid | $52,192 | $44,442 |
SMU's 4-years tuition is $274,672, based on current tuition and change rate.
Since the tuition & fees at Southern Methodist University have risen very slightly (very lower than national average) over the last 4 years, the actual costs may differ from the estimation based on the school or University system's new tuition policy.
| Admission Year | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | Fall 2025 | $67,685 | $68,336 | $68,994 | $69,657 | $274,672 |
| Class of 2030 | Fall 2026 | $68,336 | $68,994 | $69,657 | $70,328 | $277,315 |
| Class of 2031 | Fall 2027 | $68,994 | $69,657 | $70,328 | $71,004 | $279,983 |
| Class of 2032 | Fall 2028 | $69,657 | $70,328 | $71,004 | $71,687 | $282,677 |
| Class of 2033 | Fall 2029 | $70,328 | $71,004 | $71,687 | $72,377 | $285,397 |
Based on recent tuition increase rate, for the students who were admitted in Fall 2025, the estimated 4-years COA is $367,275.
| Admission Year | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | Fall 2025 | $90,480 | $91,367 | $92,262 | $93,167 | $367,275 |
| Class of 2030 | Fall 2026 | $91,367 | $92,262 | $93,167 | $94,080 | $370,875 |
| Class of 2031 | Fall 2027 | $92,262 | $93,167 | $94,080 | $95,002 | $374,511 |
| Class of 2032 | Fall 2028 | $93,167 | $94,080 | $95,002 | $95,934 | $378,182 |
| Class of 2033 | Fall 2029 | $94,080 | $95,002 | $95,934 | $96,875 | $381,890 |
After receiving the financial aid, the net price for 4 years of attending the school is $217,635.
| Admission Year | Freshmen | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | 4 Years Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2029 | Fall 2025 | $53,070 | $53,957 | $54,852 | $55,757 | $217,635 |
| Class of 2030 | Fall 2026 | $53,957 | $54,852 | $55,757 | $56,670 | $221,235 |
| Class of 2031 | Fall 2027 | $54,852 | $55,757 | $56,670 | $57,592 | $224,871 |
| Class of 2032 | Fall 2028 | $55,757 | $56,670 | $57,592 | $58,524 | $228,542 |
| Class of 2033 | Fall 2029 | $56,670 | $57,592 | $58,524 | $59,465 | $232,250 |
The graduate school tuition at Southern Methodist University is $37,278. Detailed graduate program tuition and majors can be found at SMU graduate program page.
Southern Methodist University has a law school and its tuition is different from other graduate programs, usually higher. The law school tuition is $70,750. See the detailed law school tuition at Dedman School of Law page.
| Year | Gradaute Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | $37,062 |
| 2024-2025 | $37,278 |
| Change % 2024-2025 | 0.58% |
| 2025-2026 | $37,495 |
For part-time and/or full-time students who take additional credits at SMU is $2,484. The graduate tuition per credit hour is $1,755.
| Year | Tuition Per Credit Hour | |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 2023-2024 | $2,389 |
| 2024-2025 | $2,484 | |
| 2025-2026 (Estimate) | $2,583 | |
| Graduate | 2023-2024 | $1,755 |
| 2024-2025 | $1,755 | |
| 2025-2026 (Estimate) | $1,755 |
The following charts visualize tuition, fees, living costs, and other expenses at SMU. You can enlarge the chart to view detailed information.
The following table compares tuition & fees between Southern Methodist University and its similar schools.
| In-State | Out-of-State | |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Methodist University | $67,040 | |
| Temple University | $23,005 | $38,805 |
| University of Memphis | $10,728 | $15,384 |
| University of South Florida | $6,410 | $17,324 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | $13,363 | $28,697 |
| University of Houston | $9,717 | $22,547 |
The projected 4-year cost for a degree is approximately $367,275. The tuition and fees are around $69,657 per year, totaling about $274,672 over four years.
The undergraduate tuition at SMU is higher than the average for similar schools ($50,844 - private (not-for-profit) Research University (high research activity)).
The graduate tuition at SMU is a little bit higher than the average for similar schools ($30,754 - private (not-for-profit) Research University (high research activity)).
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