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Biology at SMU

SMU graduates about 107 biology majors a year, 6% of its graduating class. That puts it 69th of 692 schools we score for biology, a standout program at 81 out of 100. Its current catalog lists 149 undergraduate courses in the field, more than 96% of the schools we've counted. Graduates in the major earn a median $78,000 four years out, 1.37× what the same major pays nationally. Research spending in the field runs about $2 million a year, a rough guide to how many labs and projects undergraduates can join.

81/100Standout#69 of 692 for biology →
Graduates a year1076% of the class
Courses in the catalog149more than 96% of schools
Median pay 4 years out$78,0001.37× the same major nationally
Research in the field$2Ma year, NSF
Admit rate48%whole school
SAT middle 50%1370–1510whole school

Around SMU

The Crain Family Centennial Promenade on the campus of Southern Methodist Univer
Southern Methodist University July 2016 058 (Crain Family Centennial Promenade)Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
The Crain Family Centennial Promenade on the campus of Southern Methodist Univer
Southern Methodist University July 2016 057 (Crain Family Centennial Promenade)Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Boaz Commons on the campus of Southern Methodist University in University Park,
Southern Methodist University July 2016 117 (Boaz Commons)Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Boaz Commons on the campus of Southern Methodist University in University Park,
Southern Methodist University July 2016 116 (Boaz Commons)Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Where biology happens

Buildings on campus that fit the field: Fondren Science, Heroy Science Hall, Deadman Life Sciences, Smith Health Center.

Named buildings on the campus map: Dorm 38 · Academic 26 · Dining 10 · Chapel 4 · Athletics 4 · Arts 3.

Open the full-screen campus map →

Nearby in the biology ranking

  1. Georgia Institute of Technology 81
  2. University of Southern California 81
  3. William & Mary 81
  4. George Washington University 81
  5. Wellesley College 81
  6. Scripps College 81
  7. University of California, Santa Barbara 80
  8. Stony Brook University–SUNY 80

Other strong majors at SMU

How the score works

The score is out of 100 and compares SMU with every school we score in biology. It weighs the school's overall strength; how many students graduate in the major and what share of the class they are; research spending in the field (NSF); early pay against the same major nationally; how many courses the catalog lists; and test scores. 80+ is a standout program, 65+ strong, 45+ solid. Sources: US Department of Education (College Scorecard, IPEDS), NSF HERD, each school's current course catalog, OpenStreetMap and Wikimedia Commons.

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