10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$68,012at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Southern Methodist University
⌖ Dallas, TX · 46 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$68,012 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
8.3 yrsModeled economic break-even
+20%Modeled 10-year ROI
$86,158Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$40,892Average net price / year
$85,606Cost of attendance
$86,158Median earnings · year 5 after completion
84.3%Completion rate
63.3%Admission rate
7,277Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$67,114Year 1
$95,051Year 4
$86,158Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$188,7162Information Science/Studies · Master's Degree$173,8163Computer Systems Analysis · Master's Degree$172,3534Systems Engineering · Master's Degree$163,7695Finance and Financial Management Services · Master's Degree$155,7696Law · First Professional Degree$153,6147Real Estate · Master's Degree$147,7708Applied Mathematics · Master's Degree$144,761Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in TX
Currently operating private nonprofit institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Waco, TX
Baylor University
- Annual net price
- $41,104
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $66,167
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -39%
Texas Christian University
- Annual net price
- $36,660
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $69,108
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -26%
LeTourneau University
- Annual net price
- $28,185
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $67,861
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -22%
Rice University
- Annual net price
- $13,370
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $81,896
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- +58%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $188,716 | Not available |
| Information Science/Studies | Master's Degree | $173,816 | Not available |
| Computer Systems Analysis | Master's Degree | $172,353 | Not available |
| Systems Engineering | Master's Degree | $163,769 | Not available |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Master's Degree | $155,769 | Not available |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $153,614 | Not available |
| Real Estate | Master's Degree | $147,770 | Not available |
| Applied Mathematics | Master's Degree | $144,761 | Not available |
| Manufacturing Engineering | Master's Degree | $141,296 | Not available |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $140,799 | Not available |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $133,852 | $19,500 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Master's Degree | $133,137 | Not available |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $126,590 | $26,000 |
| Marketing | Master's Degree | $124,730 | Not available |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $112,268 | Not available |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $111,773 | $21,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $106,799 | $19,500 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $103,675 | $15,850 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $93,769 | $19,730 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $91,701 | $19,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,649 | $17,708 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $89,330 | $19,750 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $88,627 | $20,500 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | Master's Degree | $84,703 | Not available |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | Master's Degree | $84,447 | Not available |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $78,466 | $22,125 |
| Education, Other | Master's Degree | $73,179 | Not available |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $72,136 | $23,310 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $71,193 | Not available |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Master's Degree | $69,368 | Not available |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $62,838 | $20,475 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $62,718 | Not available |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Master's Degree | $55,347 | Not available |
| Music | Master's Degree | $44,670 | Not available |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's Degree | $35,844 | $24,000 |
| Journalism | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,448 |
| Operations Research | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $20,500 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,500 |
| Statistics | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,750 |
| Philosophy | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $21,500 |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,250 |
| Public Policy Analysis | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $19,615 |
| Anthropology | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,125 |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $20,500 |
| Music | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $18,417 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $23,250 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.