Allegheny College vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Allegheny College or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Allegheny College or Swarthmore is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Allegheny College vs. Swarthmore College comparison
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Allegheny College Swarthmore College
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Overview

Allegheny College Swarthmore
Location Meadville, PA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,353 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #204 #40
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website allegheny.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Allegheny College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $52,950 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $52,950 $58,928
Room & Board $13,796 $18,026
Avg Net Price $26,719 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $42,599 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

Allegheny College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,148 14,707
Admitted 2,889 1,019
Acceptance Rate 69.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 10% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 23/30 32/35
SAT Range 1114/1372 1440/1560
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Allegheny College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Allegheny College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 80% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,200 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $29,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $299 $201

Diversity

Allegheny College Swarthmore
% Men 47% 49%
% Women 53% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Allegheny College Swarthmore
% In-State 51% 10%
% Out-of-State 48% 75%

Campus

Allegheny College Swarthmore
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Swarthmore College is larger than than Allegheny College based on total student enrollment (1,625 students vs. 1,353 students)

Allegheny College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Allegheny College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 11.3% more expensive to attend than Allegheny College for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $52,950.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.3% higher at Swarthmore than Allegheny College ($58,928.00 vs. $52,950.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Allegheny College ($20,715 vs. $26,719)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Allegheny College are 30.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,796 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Allegheny College than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 12% larger than aid received Allegheny College ($47,703 vs. $42,599)

Allegheny College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Allegheny College or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Allegheny College .

  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Allegheny College (3.53)
  • Allegheny College has a higher acceptance rate (69.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Allegheny College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Allegheny College or Swarthmore? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Swarthmore and Allegheny College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Allegheny College (95% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,600 more per year than Allegheny College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $55,200)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Allegheny College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $29,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Allegheny College graduates. ($201 vs. $299)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Allegheny College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/