Mid AtlanticSuburbanPrivate4-yearSocial & Science+ Reach

Swarthmore College

A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones.

Swarthmore, PA1,627 students
Acceptance Rate
7%
most selective
Median SAT
1,525
Middle 50%: 1460–1560
Net Price After Aid
$18.7k
Sticker $62.4k
Graduation Rate
94%
6-year, full-time

Swarthmore College is a private institution in Swarthmore, PA with an acceptance rate of 7% and 1,627 students. The middle 50% of admitted students score 1460–1560 on the SAT. The average net price after financial aid is $18,686 per year.

About Swarthmore College

A private 4-year suburban university in Swarthmore, PA.

Swarthmore College is a college in Swarthmore, PA. It enrolls roughly 1,627 students. The most recent acceptance rate is 7%. Admitted students typically score between 1460 and 1560 on the SAT.

Mid AtlanticSuburbanPrivate4-yearSocial & Science
Acceptance Rate
7%
Most Selective
Total Enrollment
1,627
Small
Retention
97%
First-years returning
Graduation Rate
94%
6-year, full-time

Your chances at this school

A clear-eyed view of how your profile compares to admitted students — and the things that would move your odds the most.

Acceptance Rate
7%
7 of every 100 applicants admitted
Your Chances
Sign in to see your personalized probability.
Admitted Student GPA

Swarthmore College is a reach school for the average admitted student profile. A reach for almost every applicant, including very strong ones. Here is what would make your application as competitive as possible.

Things that would move your odds the most

  1. Aim for an SAT of 1460+
    Hitting the 25th percentile puts you in the competitive range for admitted students.
  2. Build a single deep extracurricular peak
    Depth beats breadth at selective schools — one nationally-visible accomplishment outperforms ten clubs.
  3. Strengthen one teacher recommendation
    A specific, personal letter from a teacher who knows your work moves the needle.

Probability is based on a model trained on historical admissions data. It is a guide, not a guarantee. Admissions decisions weigh essays, recommendations, and fit factors that aren't in the data.

Admissions

What it actually takes to get into Swarthmore College. Test scores, GPA, application requirements, and deadlines.

Admitted student profile

Range shown is the middle 50%.

SAT
composite, 1600 scale
1,4601,560
1,525
average
ACT
composite, 36 scale
3335
34
average
GPA
weighted, 4.5 max

Cost & financial aid

Published costs can be misleading. Here's what families actually pay at Swarthmore College after grants and scholarships.

Sticker price
Tuition $62,412
Average net price after aid
$18,686
After grants and scholarships

Net price by family income

Average amount paid out of pocket — tuition, fees, and room & board minus all grant aid.

$0 – $30,000
$8,580
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,592
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,292
$75,001 – $110,000
N/A
$110,001 +
$47,429

Net price represents the average cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal financial aid.

Pell Grant Recipients
20%
Need-based federal grant
Take Federal Loans
10%
Avg loan $13,000 / year
Avg Grant Aid
Per receiving student / year

Academics & majors

Where students at Swarthmore College concentrate, and how the classroom experience scales.

Student : Faculty
Class-size proxy
Primary Focus
Social & Science
26% of degrees awarded
Retention
97%
First-years returning
A breakdown of the top majors by share of degrees awarded ships once we finish backfilling per-school program data.

Student body

Who attends Swarthmore College. Enrollment, diversity, and where students come from.

Race & ethnicity

  • White35%
  • Asian21%
  • Hispanic17%
  • Black10%
  • International16%

Gender

  • Female55%
  • Male45%
International
14%
Of total enrollment
Live on Campus
Undergraduate residential rate
Total Enrollment
1,627

Outcomes after graduation

What Swarthmore College graduates do next — and what they earn.

Median Earnings
$80.3k
10 years after enrollment
Employed at 2 yrs
Working or in grad school
Pursue Grad School
Within 5 years
Graduation Rate
94%
6-year, full-time

What this means

$80k is well above the national bachelor's-graduate median at the 10-year mark, and a 94% graduation rate puts Swarthmore College in the top tier nationally.

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