Law at Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · First Professional Degree · about 221 graduates a year
Southern Methodist University graduates in law earn 43% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 95% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Southern Methodist University Compares for Law
All 174 colleges reporting law earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | $308,943 | $294,050 | #2 | $220,843 |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | $302,120 | $307,259 | #1 | $210,273 |
| 3 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | $291,490 | $256,687 | #6 | $175,880 |
| 4 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | $291,132 | $286,035 | #3 | $210,979 |
| 5 | University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA | $284,309 | $258,889 | #5 | $204,216 |
| 6 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | $279,203 | $274,315 | #4 | $199,603 |
| 7 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | $259,944 | $236,532 | #9 | $162,001 |
| 8 | New York University New York, NY | $255,401 | $243,089 | #7 | — |
| 9 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $232,595 | $221,382 | #10 | $170,942 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $226,996 | $206,551 | #12 | $196,724 |
| … | |||||
| 15 | Boston University Boston, MA | $194,750 | $171,498 | #15 | $139,986 |
| 16 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA | $190,940 | $168,143 | #16 | $117,864 |
| 17 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $177,968 | $161,939 | #17 | $155,825 |
| 18 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | $153,614 | $156,180 | #19 | $101,456 |
| 19 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | $153,307 | $139,499 | #23 | $93,534 |
| 20 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | $152,126 | $157,481 | #18 | $79,803 |
| 21 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | $148,599 | $135,215 | #25 | $79,949 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Southern Methodist University law graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $101,456 one year after graduating and $153,614 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Southern Methodist University rank for law?
Among 174 colleges reporting earnings for law graduates, Southern Methodist University ranks #18 by median pay four years after graduation, and #19 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is law at Southern Methodist University worth it?
Its graduates earn 43% more than the national median for law ($107,773), and the median federal debt at graduation is $145,569.
← All data for Southern Methodist University · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.