Southern Methodist University vs University of Texas
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
- Texas places more graduates in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 53.6% of the Class of 2025, against 36.4% at Southern Methodist.
- Texas costs about $9K less over three years after the average scholarship: $176K against $184K.
- Texas is harder to get into: a 172 median LSAT and a 14.0% acceptance rate, against 167 and 24.6% at Southern Methodist.
- Southern Methodist has the higher first time bar pass rate: 97.8% against 96.4%.
Southern Methodist
vs
Texas
Where graduates go
Texas leads 4 of 5
36.4%
BigLaw + federal clerkships
✓53.6%
33.8%
BigLaw (501+ attorney firms)
✓39.3%
2.7%
Federal clerkships
✓14.3%
98.2%
Graduates employed
✓99.7%
✓97.8%
First time bar passage
96.4%
What it costs
Even, 2 each
$184K
Three year net cost
✓$176K
94%
Students receiving a scholarship
✓94%
✓$26,000/yr
Median scholarship (recipients)
$23,375/yr
✓$25,027/yr
Average scholarship (all students)
$23,643/yr
Who gets in
Acceptance rate: Southern Methodist 24.6% · Texas 14.0%
LSAT
Bars run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with the median marked.
Southern Methodist
163167168
Texas
166172173
160162164166168170172174176
GPA
Undergraduate GPA of the entering class, same scale for both schools.
Southern Methodist
3.523.813.92
Texas
3.753.893.96
3.453.553.653.753.853.954.05
Southern Methodist University
University of Texas
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Frequently asked questions
Is Southern Methodist or Texas better for BigLaw?
Texas placed more of its Class of 2025 in BigLaw or federal clerkships: 53.6% against 36.4%. By BigLaw alone (firms of 501+ attorneys), Southern Methodist placed 33.8% and Texas placed 39.3%. Federal clerkships were 2.7% at Southern Methodist and 14.3% at Texas.
Which is harder to get into, Southern Methodist or Texas?
Southern Methodist's Fall 2025 entering class had a median LSAT of 167 and a median GPA of 3.81, with a 24.6% acceptance rate. Texas's had 172 and 3.89, with 14.0%. Add your LSAT and GPA above to see your estimated chances at both.
Which costs less, Southern Methodist or Texas?
After the average scholarship, three years cost about $184K at Southern Methodist and $176K at Texas, 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, Southern Methodist or Texas?
94% of Southern Methodist students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $26,000 a year among recipients. 94% of Texas students receive a scholarship, with a median award of $23,375 a year among recipients.
Which has the better bar passage rate?
97.8% of Southern Methodist's first time takers passed in 2025, against 96.4% at Texas. Each school's profile shows how that compares with the states where its graduates sat.
Should I choose Southern Methodist or Texas?
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