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Southern Methodist University

(SMU)

🇺🇸 United States / Texas / Dallas
Private R2 Est. 1911

About

Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a private research university in University Park, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South—now part of the United Methodist Church—in partnership with Dallas civic leaders. It is currently non-sectarian in its teaching and enrolls students of all relig...

Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a private research university in University Park, Texas, United States, with a satellite campus in Taos County, New Mexico. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South—now part of the United Methodist Church—in partnership with Dallas civic leaders. It is currently non-sectarian in its teaching and enrolls students of all religious affiliations. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research spending and doctorate production".

Ranking Overview

Ranking Snapshot

Ranked Top 351 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems

THE #351-400 (2013)
ARWU #701-800 (2025)

Ranked in 17 subject rankings

QS QS World University Rankings
# 1001-1200
100
2026
THE Times Higher Education World University Rankings
# 351-400
2013
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities
# 701-800
2025
US News U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
# =877
12
43.0
2026

Key Facts

Students
10,372
Staff
2,831

Historical Trend

Longitudinal View
QS QS
ARWU ARWU
US News US News
1 201 401 601 801 1001 1150 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Rank
:
Score:

Top Subjects

Best-performing areas
101-150
Management
Top 200
151-200
Education & Training
Top 200
151-200
Finance
Top 200
201-300
Electrical & Electronic Engineering
201-300
Economics & Econometrics
201-300
Statistics & Operational Research
201-300
Law & Legal Studies
201-300
Communication & Media Studies
201-300
Psychology
301-400
301-400
Business Administration
401-500
Earth & Marine Sciences
601-650
Business & Management Studies
=794
Engineering

Subject Rankings

Detailed breakdown

ARWU

13 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Management 101-150 - 2025
Education & Training 151-200 - 2025
Finance 151-200 - 2025
Electrical & Electronic Engineering 201-300 - 2025
Economics & Econometrics 201-300 - 2025
Statistics & Operational Research 201-300 - 2025
Law & Legal Studies 201-300 - 2023
Communication & Media Studies 201-300 - 2021
Psychology 201-300 - 2025
Physics & Astronomy 301-400 - 2025
Politics 301-400 - 2020
Business Administration 301-400 - 2022
Earth & Marine Sciences 401-500 - 2025

US News

4 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Physics & Astronomy =417 43.0 2026
Engineering =794 43.0 2026
Computer Science =909 43.0 2026
Chemistry =1,188 43.0 2026

QS

3 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Economics & Econometrics 501-550 - 2026
Physics & Astronomy 551-600 - 2022
Business & Management Studies 601-650 - 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ranking of Southern Methodist University?

Southern Methodist University's performance in the latest university rankings: QS Rank 1001-1200, THE Rank 351-400, ARWU Rank 701-800, US News Rank =877.

When was Southern Methodist University founded?

Southern Methodist University was founded in 1911.

What are the top subjects at Southern Methodist University?

Top subjects at Southern Methodist University include: Management, Education & Training, Finance, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Economics & Econometrics.

Where is Southern Methodist University located?

Southern Methodist University is located in Dallas, United States.