Admit rate has ranged 39%–51% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Southwestern University is a selective, private liberal arts college in Georgetown, Texas, where the academic philosophy is as distinctive as the campus vibe. Its signature Paideia program pushes students to make deep, interdisciplinary connections across 37 majors, culminating in a personalized capstone. The culture is intensely hands-on—55% of students hold a campus job, professors work side-by-side with undergraduates, and the small, historic campus fosters a tight-knit, event-driven community.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Class rank
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
1,440
In-state tuition
$53,813
Out-of-state tuition
$53,813
No-Loan Policy
No
Graduation Rate
73%
Meets Full Need
No (per source: 'not always possible')
ED Share of Class
Not stated in sources
First-Year Retention
Not stated in sources
Demonstrated Interest
Not stated in sources
Median Earnings (10yr)
$56,878
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$56,878
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.9×
Median debt at graduation
$25,000
Graduation rate
73%
First-year retention
81%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
74%
Pell (lower-income) share
25%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
20%
Financial health
2.7 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business/Commerce, General$48,432
Communication and Media Studies$32,925
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
99
Summer high
95°F
Winter low
44°F
Annual rain
42.2"
Annual snow
1.8"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
175
Scholarly works
5,796
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
0.8%
Bottom → top quintile
25%
From bottom quintile
3%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Southwestern University?
Southwestern University's acceptance rate is approximately 43% (Georgetown, TX), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Southwestern University?
Admitted students at Southwestern University typically score 1130–1300 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Southwestern University cost?
At Southwestern University, the average net price (after aid) is about $29,224 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Southwestern University?
Southwestern University enrolls approximately 1,440 undergraduate students.
Where is Southwestern University located?
Southwestern University is located in Georgetown, TX.
Admissions
Southwestern is selective, with an that has ranked among the lowest in the university's recent history. For the Class of 2028, the university received nearly 5,900 applications, resulting in a 43% acceptance rate. The middle 50% of admitted first-year students typically score between 1130 and 1300 on the SAT (EBRW+M) or between 26 and 30 on the ACT. The average high school GPA of admitted students is a 3.5. The university offers an Early Decision (ED) plan, which is a binding agreement; admitted ED applicants are required to commit by submitting a non-refundable $700 deposit. While national trends show Early Decision applicants are often admitted at rates two to five times higher than Regular Decision applicants, specific ED rates for Southwestern are not publicly reported in the provided sources. Demonstrated interest is a factor commonly tracked by colleges via the , but its specific importance level at Southwestern is not detailed in the available snippets.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Academics
The academic core at Southwestern is defined by its Paideia philosophy, a flexible curriculum designed to encourage students to 'dig deeper and make connections between courses,' culminating in a required capstone experience. Students choose from 37 majors and 41 minors. The most popular majors are Business/Commerce, General; Psychology, General; Exercise Science and Kinesiology; and Biology/Biological Sciences. Annually, the university awards about 67 degrees in Business/Commerce, General, its single most popular program. The approach is intensely student-focused, with professors often working side-by-side with undergraduates, embodying the university's commitment to close mentorship and collaborative learning.
Life on Southwestern's historic, small campus is described as intimate and peaceful, fostering close connections among students. The community is highly active and self-governing: students themselves plan more than 300 campus events each year, ranging from trivia nights and dance parties to concerts and student-led conferences. A striking 55% of students hold a campus job, contributing to a culture of engagement and responsibility. The overall vibe is one of a welcoming, tight-knit community where the scale allows for personal recognition and a charming, walkable campus environment.
Southwestern's graduation rate is 73%. According to a post-graduate survey of the Class of 2025 (comprising 313 graduates), 78.6% of the class reported their outcomes. Of those respondents, 63.41% were employed, 29.27% were attending graduate or professional school or engaged in advanced coursework, and 7.32% were pursuing other endeavors like volunteer work or travel. The university promotes the value of a liberal arts education, noting that graduates from selective schools like SU can make $55,000 or more annually compared to high school graduates. The median earnings for Southwestern graduates 10 years after entry is $56,878.
The average after aid is $29,224. A significant majority of students receive financial assistance; 99% of full-time beginning undergraduates receive grant or scholarship aid, with 55.72% of all students receiving financial aid and an average aid package of $50,107. The university offers substantial merit-based scholarships, with amounts going up to $36,000 annually. However, the university states that while it would like to fund all students demonstrating financial need, this is not always possible due to demand. The financial aid policy includes federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans for all students attending at least half-time, ranging from $5,500 to $7,500. There is no indication in the provided sources of a 'no-loan' policy or a guarantee to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need solely with grants.
Southwestern University carves out a distinctive niche by marrying a rigorous, connection-driven liberal arts curriculum with the energetic, self-made culture of its student body. Its Paideia program isn't just a distribution requirement; it's an integrated philosophy that pushes students to synthesize knowledge across disciplines, culminating in a deeply personal capstone project. This academic intensity is balanced by a remarkably hands-on campus life where students don't just attend events—they create them, planning over 300 a year. The fact that 55% of students work on campus speaks to an ethos of engagement and responsibility, not just financial necessity. It's a place where the historic, intimate campus setting fosters close relationships with professors and peers alike, creating a community that is as intellectually serious as it is genuinely collaborative. For students seeking a small-college experience where they are expected to be active architects of both their education and their community, Southwestern offers a compelling and singular model.
Southwestern University seal · sourceCampus Photos • Southwestern University · sourceCampus Photos • Southwestern University · sourceSouthwestern University – Colleges That Change Lives · source
