Baylor University vs Southern Methodist University

This page compares Baylor University and Southern Methodist University across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 35 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 35 applicants admitted to both schools, 83% chose to attend Southern Methodist University. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

Both schools are closely ranked in U.S. News: #43 and #43, separated by just 0 positions, making cross-admit data especially useful for deciding between them.

Both schools are located in Texas — Baylor University in Waco and Southern Methodist University in Dallas — meaning graduates often compete in the same regional legal market.

Employment outcomes differ substantially: Southern Methodist University places 27.9% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 7.1% for the other school. This 21 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

On cost, Baylor University has lower tuition at - per year compared to $60,844. Combined with employment rates of 97.0% (Baylor University) and 97.6% (SMU), prospective students should weigh the cost-to-outcome ratio carefully.