Southern Methodist University vs University of Texas at Austin

This page compares Southern Methodist University and University of Texas at Austin across admissions data, cost of attendance, and employment outcomes — plus cross-admit decision data from 54 applicants admitted to both.

Based on 54 applicants admitted to both schools, 94% chose to attend University of Texas at Austin. This cross-admit data reflects real enrollment decisions from verified law school applicants on LSD.Law.

In the U.S. News rankings, University of Texas at Austin is ranked #14 compared to #43 — a gap of 29 positions that often correlates with differences in employment outcomes and peer assessment scores.

There is a meaningful difference in admissions competitiveness: University of Texas at Austin has a median LSAT of 172 compared to 167, a gap of 5 points. This suggests applicants to University of Texas at Austin face a more competitive admissions pool.

University of Texas at Austin is significantly more selective, with an acceptance rate of 14.0% compared to Southern Methodist University's 24.6%.

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

Employment outcomes differ substantially: University of Texas at Austin places 42.5% of graduates into large law firm positions, compared to 27.9% for the other school. This 15 percentage point gap is significant for applicants targeting BigLaw careers.

Among cross-admitted applicants, Southern Methodist University offered a median scholarship of $108,000 compared to $60,000, a difference of $48,000 that may factor into enrollment decisions.