Fordham University vs Southern Methodist University
Where graduates end up, what each school really costs, and who gets in, side by side from each school's official ABA data. Add your LSAT and GPA to see your chances and scholarship estimates at both.
VS
Add your numbersSee your admission chances and scholarship estimates at both schools.
The short version
- Fordham places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 47.9% of the Class of 2025, against 36.4% at Southern Methodist.
- Southern Methodist costs about $77K less over three years after the average scholarship: $184K against $262K, and more of its students get a scholarship (94% vs 87%).
- Fordham is harder to get into: a 168 median LSAT and a 16.2% acceptance rate, against 167 and 24.6% at Southern Methodist.
- Southern Methodist has the higher first time bar pass rate: 97.8% against 90.8%.
Fordham
vs
Southern Methodist
Where graduates go
Fordham leads 3 of 5
✓47.9%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
36.4%
✓44.8%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
33.8%
✓3.1%
Federal clerkships
2.7%
91.7%
Graduates employed
✓98.2%
90.8%
First time bar passage
✓97.8%
What it costs
Even, 2 each
$262K
Three year net cost
✓$184K
87%
Students receiving a scholarship
✓94%
✓$35,000/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
$26,000/yr
✓$29,405/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
$25,027/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Fordham 16.2% · Southern Methodist 24.6%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Fordham
165168170
Southern Methodist
163167168
160162164166168170172
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Fordham
3.603.793.88
Southern Methodist
3.523.813.92
3.453.553.653.753.853.95
Fordham University
Southern Methodist University
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Frequently asked questions
Is Fordham or Southern Methodist better for BigLaw?
Fordham placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 47.9% against 36.4%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Fordham placed 44.8% and Southern Methodist placed 33.8%. Federal clerkships were 3.1% at Fordham and 2.7% at Southern Methodist.
Which is harder to get into, Fordham or Southern Methodist?
Fordham's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 168 and a median GPA of 3.79, with a 16.2% acceptance rate. Southern Methodist's had 167 and 3.81, with 24.6%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Fordham or Southern Methodist?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $262K at Fordham and $184K at Southern Methodist, including living costs. Public schools are shown at out of state tuition. Your own scholarship can move these numbers a lot, so add your numbers above for an estimate.
Which gives more scholarship money, Fordham or Southern Methodist?
87% of Fordham students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $35,000 a year among recipients. 94% of Southern Methodist students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $26,000 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
90.8% of Fordham's first time takers passed in 2025, against 97.8% at Southern Methodist. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Fordham or Southern Methodist?
It depends on your goals, your odds and your offers. Compare where each school's graduates end up, then add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances and scholarships at both. Your scholarship offer usually changes the cost more than anything else.
What a higher LSAT changes
Move the LSAT slider in the admissions calculator to watch your odds and scholarship estimates change at every school.
Figures come from each school’s official ABA disclosures. Admission chances and scholarship estimates are modeled from that data and are not predictions of any individual decision. Our data and methodology