Southern Methodist University ABA 509 Report
The 2025 Standard 509 disclosure for Southern Methodist University, laid out by section: admissions, costs, aid, conditional scholarships, enrolment, bar passage and class composition.
Southern Methodist University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 3,038 applicants received 747 offers (24.6%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 167, the median grant was $26,000 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 97.8%.
What this is. Every figure below comes from the school's own Standard 509 filing to the ABA, as published in the public disclosure data. Tables follow the report's own sections rather than a reorganisation by topic, so you can line each number up against the original. Where a school did not report a figure, it saysnot reported — nothing here is filled in with an average or an estimate. How to read these numbers →
Dallas, Texas · Report year 2025 · all Southern Methodist University data →
Admissions
Applications, offers and enrolment for the entering class, plus the LSAT and GPA percentiles of the students who matriculated.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Completed applications | 3,038 |
|---|---|
| Offers of admission | 747 |
| Acceptance rate | 24.6% |
| Enrollees from the applicant pool | 254 |
| Enrolled in the first-year class | 254 |
| First-year class size | 254 |
| LSAT 25th percentile | 163 |
| LSAT median | 167 |
| LSAT 75th percentile | 168 |
| Undergraduate GPA 25th percentile | 3.52 |
| Undergraduate GPA median | 3.81 |
| Undergraduate GPA 75th percentile | 3.92 |
| Students who submitted LSAT scores | 253 |
| Students who submitted GRE scores | 1 |
How Southern Methodist University compares within Texas
Among the 10 law schools in Texas that report acceptance rate, Southern Methodist University has the 5th highest.
The 10 law schools in Texas, ordered by acceptance rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Acceptance rate | Median LSAT | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas College of Law Houston | 33.6% | 155 | 2,770 |
| Texas Southern University | 33.1% | 150 | 2,032 |
| St. Mary's University | 26.0% | 153 | 2,906 |
| Texas Tech University | 25.6% | 159 | 2,011 |
| Southern Methodist University ← this school | 24.6% | 167 | 3,038 |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | 24.2% | 153 | 1,883 |
| University of Houston | 23.0% | 163 | 3,510 |
| Baylor University | 18.9% | 164 | 3,658 |
| University of Texas | 14.0% | 172 | 6,297 |
| Texas A&M University | 12.1% | 169 | 5,240 |
Tuition, fees and living costs
What the school charges and what it estimates students will spend living.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Tuition (annual, full-time) | $60,844 |
|---|---|
| Non-resident tuition (annual) | $60,844 |
| Tuition reporting basis | annual |
| Per credit hour | not reported |
| Mandatory fees (full-time) | $7,842 |
| Living on campus | $23,368 |
| Living off campus | $17,834 |
| Tuition guarantee | no |
How Southern Methodist University compares within Texas
Among the 8 law schools in Texas that report annual tuition, Southern Methodist University has the highest.
The 10 law schools in Texas, ordered by annual tuition. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Annual tuition | Living off campus |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Methodist University ← this school | $60,844 | $17,834 |
| St. Mary's University | $44,910 | $23,878 |
| South Texas College of Law Houston | $42,960 | $56,958 |
| University of Texas | $38,236 | $25,398 |
| Texas A&M University | $32,634 | $29,696 |
| University of Houston | $31,326 | $26,086 |
| Texas Tech University | $22,590 | $20,107 |
| Texas Southern University | $19,202 | $27,784 |
| Baylor University | — | $25,023 |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | — | $24,638 |
Grants and scholarships awarded
The share of students receiving grant aid, the size of those awards, and how they are distributed across the four funding bands.
Source: Standard 509(b)(2)
| Students receiving grant aid | 94.0% |
|---|---|
| Median grant (per year) | $26,000 |
| 25th percentile grant | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile grant | $33,333 |
| Half tuition or less | 64.0% |
| Above half, below full | 27.0% |
| Full tuition | 0.0% |
| Above full tuition | 4.0% |
How Southern Methodist University compares within Texas
Among the 10 law schools in Texas that report median grant, Southern Methodist University has the 3rd highest.
The 10 law schools in Texas, ordered by median grant. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Median grant | % receiving aid |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor University | $33,518 | 97.0% |
| Texas A&M University | $26,048 | 95.0% |
| Southern Methodist University ← this school | $26,000 | 94.0% |
| University of Texas | $23,375 | 94.0% |
| St. Mary's University | $12,500 | 81.0% |
| Texas Tech University | $12,000 | 88.0% |
| University of Houston | $11,500 | 74.0% |
| South Texas College of Law Houston | $11,000 | 85.0% |
| Texas Southern University | $7,363 | 51.0% |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | $5,000 | 54.0% |
Conditional scholarships
Awards that must be re-earned each year. The retention figure is the share that kept the award after review.
Source: Standard 509(b)(3)
| Offers conditional scholarships | yes |
|---|---|
| Entering with a conditional award (2024) | 6 |
| Kept the award after year one | 83.3% |
| Award reduced or eliminated | 1 |
How Southern Methodist University compares within Texas
Among the 4 law schools in Texas that report retention rate, Southern Methodist University has the 2nd highest.
The 10 law schools in Texas, ordered by retention rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | Retention rate | Entering with award |
|---|---|---|
| Baylor University | 100.0% | 140 |
| Southern Methodist University ← this school | 83.3% | 6 |
| South Texas College of Law Houston | 66.4% | 280 |
| Texas Southern University | 32.5% | 83 |
| St. Mary's University | — | — |
| Texas A&M University | — | — |
| Texas Tech University | — | — |
| University of Houston | — | — |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | — | — |
| University of Texas | — | — |
Enrollment
How many students the school enrolled, and how that breaks down by degree.
Source: Standard 509(b)(4)
| Total students enrolled | 746 |
|---|---|
| JD students (all years) | 672 |
| First-year JD students | 254 |
| Non-JD students | 74 |
| First-year class size | 254 |
How Southern Methodist University compares within Texas
Among the 10 law schools in Texas that report jd students, Southern Methodist University has the 5th highest.
The 10 law schools in Texas, ordered by jd students. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | JD students | First-year JD |
|---|---|---|
| South Texas College of Law Houston | 1,144 | 642 |
| University of Texas | 928 | 373 |
| University of Houston | 838 | 249 |
| St. Mary's University | 800 | 301 |
| Southern Methodist University ← this school | 672 | 254 |
| Texas Southern University | 556 | 220 |
| Texas Tech University | 459 | 167 |
| Baylor University | 439 | 168 |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | 431 | 127 |
| Texas A&M University | 396 | 128 |
Bar passage
First-time passage is the share passing on the first attempt; ultimate passage counts retakes over two years.
Source: Standard 509(b)(8)
| First-time takers | 222 |
|---|---|
| First-time passers | 217 |
| First-time passage rate | 97.8% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2023) | 96.7% |
| Ultimate passage rate (2024) | 96.7% |
How Southern Methodist University compares within Texas
Among the 10 law schools in Texas that report first-time rate, Southern Methodist University has the highest.
The 10 law schools in Texas, ordered by first-time rate. Schools that did not report a figure are shown as — and are not ranked.
| School | First-time rate | Ultimate rate |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Methodist University ← this school | 97.8% | 96.7% |
| University of Texas | 96.4% | 98.3% |
| Texas Tech University | 95.5% | 94.4% |
| Texas A&M University | 95.3% | 98.3% |
| Baylor University | 93.7% | 97.9% |
| South Texas College of Law Houston | 85.6% | 94.9% |
| St. Mary's University | 84.6% | 91.8% |
| University of Houston | 84.5% | 93.0% |
| University of North Texas at Dallas | 79.7% | 88.0% |
| Texas Southern University | 62.9% | 84.5% |
Entering class composition
Race and gender of the entering class, as reported by the school. Categories follow the school's own reporting.
Source: Standard 509(b)(1)
| Students in the entering class | 254 |
|---|---|
| White | 159 |
| Black | 6 |
| Hispanic | 45 |
| Asian | 19 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 |
| Multiracial | 10 |
| Race not reported | 15 |
| Men | 139 |
| Women | 114 |
| Another gender | 1 |
| Gender not reported | 0 |
Where to go next
- Admissions funnel — applications through to enrolment, with yield rates
- Cost of attendance — three-year totals, and what aid changes
- Financial aid breakdown — the four funding bands in detail
- Bar passage — first-time and ultimate rates
- Employment outcomes — where graduates went
- Scholarship calculator — what your own LSAT and GPA would place you in
Common questions
What does the Southern Methodist University 509 report show?
Southern Methodist University's 2025 Standard 509 disclosure reports that 3,038 applicants received 747 offers (24.6%), the entering class had a median LSAT of 167, the median grant was $26,000 per year, the first-time bar passage rate was 97.8%.
How does Southern Methodist University compare with other law schools in Texas?
Among the 10 law schools in Texas that report acceptance rate, Southern Methodist University has the 5th highest.
How many applicants did Southern Methodist University receive, and how many were admitted?
Southern Methodist University received 3,038 completed applications and issued 747 offers of admission, an acceptance rate of 24.6%.
What is the tuition and grant aid at Southern Methodist University?
For Southern Methodist University, in-state tuition is $60,844 per year, off-campus living costs are estimated at $17,834, the median grant is $26,000 per year, 94% of students receive grant aid.
What is the bar passage rate at Southern Methodist University?
Southern Methodist University had a first-time bar passage rate of 97.8% across 222 takers in the most recent cycle. The two-year ultimate passage rate was 96.7%.