College ROI

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Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX 7,277 Undergrads 82.2% Grad Rate
School Website|Financial Calculator
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Total Cost
$85,606
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$40,892
After Aid
Median Earnings
$95,051
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$40,892
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$95,051
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$78,354
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate82.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age20.5
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients12.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time98.2%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS81.3%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
63.3%
SAT Avg
1,428
SAT Reading
25th: 67070075th: 740
SAT Math
25th: 67072575th: 750
ACT Composite
25th: 303375th: 34

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$805k
+$338k
+$321k
Median Cost$41k/yr
+$658k
+$191k
+$174k
Full Cost$86k/yr
+$497k
+$30k
+$13k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
26
∞
Median Cost$41k/yr
35
118%
Full Cost$86k/yr
60
4%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return98%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-36%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$16,200
Earnings (4yr)
$103,675
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
+$239k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$23,125
Earnings (5yr)
$68,161
Natl Median: $46,676
Lifetime Value Added
-$42k
Area Studies
BachCIP: 0501
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,625
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$78,466
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
+$47k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$106,799
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$263k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,407
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$22,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$73,737
Natl Median: $86,517
Lifetime Value Added
+$34k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,429
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Cognitive Science
BachCIP: 3025
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,496
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,109
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
+$3k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$25,625
Earnings (4yr)
$126,590
Natl Median: $107,009
Lifetime Value Added
+$413k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$49,423
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
-$191k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$67,905
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (4yr)
$35,844
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
-$299k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,642
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
BachCIP: 4506
Median Debt
$18,625
Earnings (4yr)
$91,701
Natl Median: $82,686
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,549
Natl Median: $100,647
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $89,359
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$73,804
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
+$326
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $81,171
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,710
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$46,722
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$213k
Median Debt
$19,439
Earnings (4yr)
$133,852
Natl Median: $83,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$467k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$62,394
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$86k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $60,190
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,245
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$22,280
Earnings (5yr)
$79,519
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
+$43k
International/Globalization Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $59,972
Lifetime Value Added
-$225k
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
$17,250
Earnings (5yr)
$67,878
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
-$44k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,509
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
+$6k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (4yr)
$88,627
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$111,773
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
+$301k
Median Debt
$16,188
Earnings (4yr)
$90,649
Natl Median: $92,135
Lifetime Value Added
+$140k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,612
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$35,194
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
-$311k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,012
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Non-Professional Legal Studies
BachCIP: 2200
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,959
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Operations Research
BachCIP: 1437
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (5yr)
$123,913
Natl Median: $122,531
Lifetime Value Added
+$374k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $54,455
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$84,753
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
+$82k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (4yr)
$72,136
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$1k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$77,862
Natl Median: $73,721
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$89,330
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$130k
Real Estate
BachCIP: 5215
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $84,821
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$19,730
Earnings (4yr)
$93,769
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$164k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$35,060
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$293k
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$22,581
Earnings (4yr)
$62,838
Natl Median: $54,562
Lifetime Value Added
-$73k
Statistics
BachCIP: 2705
Median Debt
$19,750
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,425
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,887
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
$36,500
Earnings (4yr)
$112,268
Natl Median: $95,833
Lifetime Value Added
+$272k
Applied Mathematics
MastCIP: 2703
Median Debt
$60,500
Earnings (4yr)
$144,761
Natl Median: $116,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$554k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,241
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
MastCIP: 2601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,830
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$98,182
Earnings (4yr)
$188,716
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
+$933k
Civil Engineering
MastCIP: 1408
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $98,323
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $136,736
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer Science
MastCIP: 1107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $145,571
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$95,275
Earnings (4yr)
$172,353
Natl Median: $113,439
Lifetime Value Added
+$792k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $121,855
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Natl Median: $49,978
Lifetime Value Added
-$336k
Economics
MastCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,743
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$73,179
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Median Debt
$28,136
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $133,654
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,068
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$137,458
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
+$467k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,215
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering, Other
MastCIP: 1499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $129,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$70,114
Earnings (4yr)
$133,137
Natl Median: $97,366
Lifetime Value Added
+$453k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,629
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$85,733
Earnings (4yr)
$155,769
Natl Median: $110,694
Lifetime Value Added
+$649k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $79,463
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$94,130
Natl Median: $57,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$98k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $78,149
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
MastCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,360
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$52,712
Earnings (4yr)
$173,816
Natl Median: $112,705
Lifetime Value Added
+$805k
Median Debt
$60,100
Earnings (4yr)
$84,447
Natl Median: $101,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$69,368
Natl Median: $65,716
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
$50,500
Earnings (4yr)
$140,799
Natl Median: $124,807
Lifetime Value Added
+$519k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$141,296
Natl Median: $122,873
Lifetime Value Added
+$524k
Marketing
MastCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$124,730
Natl Median: $79,106
Lifetime Value Added
+$381k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,974
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$71,062
Earnings (4yr)
$62,718
Natl Median: $59,571
Lifetime Value Added
-$163k
Music
MastCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,670
Natl Median: $48,285
Lifetime Value Added
-$334k
Operations Research
MastCIP: 1437
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$90,412
Natl Median: $161,561
Lifetime Value Added
+$113k
Median Debt
$42,000
Earnings (4yr)
$84,703
Natl Median: $70,267
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $80,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Real Estate
MastCIP: 5215
Median Debt
$51,966
Earnings (4yr)
$147,770
Natl Median: $135,104
Lifetime Value Added
+$580k
Religious Music and Worship
MastCIP: 3905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$71,193
Natl Median: $62,033
Lifetime Value Added
-$87k
Statistics
MastCIP: 2705
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $123,816
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $76,897
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Systems Engineering
MastCIP: 1427
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$163,769
Natl Median: $144,565
Lifetime Value Added
+$718k
Taxation
MastCIP: 5216
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$100,672
Natl Median: $114,810
Lifetime Value Added
+$154k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,707
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$66,844
Earnings (4yr)
$55,347
Natl Median: $61,300
Lifetime Value Added
-$231k

Graduate Certificates

Education, Other
Gr-CertCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,921
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Graphic Communications
Gr-CertCIP: 1003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$95,731
Natl Median: $95,731
Lifetime Value Added
+$226k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,226
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
Gr-CertCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,504
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,095
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Doctoral Degrees

Anthropology
DocCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,473
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Chemistry
DocCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $115,386
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $99,878
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $167,302
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Economics
DocCIP: 4506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $135,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, Other
DocCIP: 1399
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $90,635
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$67,969
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $100,573
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $171,574
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,831
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $68,718
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,039
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
DocCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,550
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,534
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $131,070
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physics
DocCIP: 4008
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $130,153
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $67,164
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $71,982
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Professional Degrees

Law
ProfCIP: 2201
Median Debt
$145,569
Earnings (4yr)
$153,614
Natl Median: $107,773
Lifetime Value Added
+$342k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.