The Southern Methodist University MSF program has been a consistently strong specialized masters and another great option for anyone looking for a Texas based program. I haven’t updated this MSF as often as I should and there seems to be a lot to post about for everyone. I’ll try and make this post a comprehensive update and stay on top of SMU better in the future.
2022 Class Profile
- Size – 62 77
- Average GPA – 3.3 3.43
- Average GMAT – 626 676
- Women – 21% 27%
- International – 24% 14%
I compared this profile to the one I had posted previously (2020) and everything increased with the exception of the percentage of international students. The GMAT increased significantly, going from a 626 to a 676. GPA bumped up modestly (3.3 vs. 3.43). Class size and percentage of women in the program ticked up, but international students went from 24% of the program to 14%. I have been seeing a reduction in international students at a number of MSF’s so I think that is common across the board.
Admissions
Right now the school is having rolling admissions. The last official application deadline just passed (May 2nd). The application package is standard and mentioned in previous posts. SMU is continuing their GMAT/GRE optional policy so it is not necessary. I would say that if your application is weak in certain areas (especially if you have a lower GPA or not a lot of quantitative classwork) the test could help your application package. Would be worth discussing with admissions to weight the cost benefit.
Tuition is currently $45,534. There is another $8,848 in University and Program Fees. I usually do not mention these to keep things consistent for comparison purposes, but these are particularly impactful. Total tuition and fees for the 2023 year are $54,382. This is relatively affordable compared to many other MSF’s out there and Texas is a growing job market. Things to consider.
There are a limited number of merit based scholarships for $5,000 each. Students are automatically enrolled, which is nice. These are generally awarded based on GMAT or GPA performance.
Career Outcomes
The SMU website has information on career outcomes and placements in a bunch of different areas. I will reach out to see if there is something comprehensive or maybe an annual report.
For the Spring 2021 MSF graduates, 94% found employment within 6 months of graduation. This is a great stat. Average starting salary for graduates was $73,400, also great.
The university includes a list of companies that recently hired MSF graduates. Not sure if that is current year, last two or whatever, but it is helpful all the same. I’ve pull 15 names from the list that jumped out at me, but on the schools website they have the full list.
| American Airlines | Deutsche Bank | PwC |
| Bloomberg | Federal Reserve Bank | Regions Bank |
| Capital One | FedEx | Southwest Bank |
| Comerica | Goldman Sachs | Stout Risius Ross |
| Deloitte | JP Morgan | VMG Health |
Lots of great names here and what is nice is future students can know they have MSF alumni at these firms. This should help with networking as well as future hiring.
Miscellaneous
This is a 32 credit hour MSF with both a full time and part time option. There is an online bootcamp in the summer for applicants who need to brush up on some of the foundational aspects of finance. Particularly helpful for anyone without a business background.
SMU has formed the MSF around four areas of unique competency:
- Alternative Assets
- Energy Finance
- Real-time Markets and Trading
- Investment Portfolios
They have a nonprofit consulting program that can provide real world experience as well as help a good cause. There is a $6 million Nancy Chambers Underwood Graduate Fund that select MSF and MBA students can help manage, providing additional resume building experience. All of these things are important when making your decision and help differentiate your MSF experience from program to program.
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That is the post for now. As you can see, the SMU MSF continues to provide benefit and value for students looking to advance their financial education and jump start their career. I will shoot them an email and see if I can get some more information and I will make an effort to keep this program updated frequently on the site.
Here is a link to the Southern Methodist University MSF Program
