ABA Standard 509 · 2025 cycle · Last synced May 31, 2026

Southern Methodist University School of Law

Texas · Private · School ID: southern-methodist-university

Southern Methodist University School of Law is a private law school in Texas. In the most recent ABA Standard 509 cycle it reported a 90.2% first-time bar passage rate (state average 81.4%). 98.2% of graduates landed full-time, long-term JD-required or JD-advantage jobs, and 38.2% joined large firms of 251+ attorneys. Resident tuition is $60,844 per year; a median grant of $26,000 brings median net tuition to about $34,844. The median LSAT is 167 with a 24.6% acceptance rate.

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Admissions

LSAT (25 / 50 / 75)163 / 167 / 168
uGPA (25 / 50 / 75)3.52 / 3.81 / 3.92
Acceptance rate24.6%
Applications received3,038
Offers extended747
1L enrollment254
Total JD enrollment672
GRE-only takers1
Transfers in / out8 / 5

Cost & scholarships

Resident tuition$60,844
Non-resident tuition$60,844
Mandatory fees$7,842
Living-expense estimate$17,834
Median grant$26,000
Grant 25 / 75 percentile$22,000 / $33,333
No-grant share5.9%
< half-tuition grants63.9%
Half-to-full grants26.7%
Full-tuition grants0.0%
Above-full grants (stipend)3.5%
Conditional-scholarship loss rate

Bar passage

First-Time Bar (2024 cohort)90.2%
Two-Year Ultimate Bar96.7%
State average (same exam)81.4%
Difference vs. state+8.8 pts

Different cohorts: first-time bar passage reflects graduates who entered law school about three years before the current admissions class shown above. Read the two as separate snapshots, not a single pipeline.

Job outcomes (10 months after graduation)

Total graduates225
FTLT (full-time, long-term, JD-required/advantage)98.2%
Bar-required jobs94.7%
MegaLaw 500+33.8%
BigLaw 251–5004.4%
Mid 101–2506.2%
Small 2–10037.8%
Solo0.0%
Clerkships3.6%
Government6.7%
Public interest0.4%
Business / industry5.3%
Academia0.0%
Seeking employment0.0%

Top destination states (2024)

Demographics (current JD enrollment)

Male enrollment316 (47.1%)
Female enrollment355 (52.9%)
White437
Black27
Hispanic97
Asian55
Two or more races24
Other / unreported32

Faculty

Total faculty198
Full-time59
Faculty of color39

State market context

Mean attorney salary in state$177,890

Frequently asked questions

What is the first-time bar passage rate at Southern Methodist University School of Law?

Southern Methodist University School of Law reported a 90.2% first-time bar passage rate in the most recent ABA Standard 509 disclosure, versus a 81.4% state average.

How much does Southern Methodist University School of Law cost?

Resident tuition at Southern Methodist University School of Law is $60,844 per year (about $182,532 over three years). The median grant is $26,000, bringing median net tuition to roughly $34,844 per year.

What LSAT and GPA do you need for Southern Methodist University School of Law?

The median (50th-percentile) LSAT at Southern Methodist University School of Law is 167 and the median GPA is 3.81; the acceptance rate is 24.6%.

What are the job outcomes at Southern Methodist University School of Law?

98.2% of Southern Methodist University School of Law graduates held full-time, long-term JD-required or JD-advantage jobs about ten months after graduation. 38.2% joined large firms of 251+ attorneys. 0.0% were still seeking employment.

Other law schools in Texas

Source: ABA Standard 509 Required Disclosure for Southern Methodist University, published by the American Bar Association at abarequireddisclosures.org. State attorney salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS 2024 (occupation code 23-1011). Cost-of-living from U.S. BEA Regional Price Parities. Methodology: /methodology.html.