Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Williams Haverford College Tufts Middlebury Dartmouth Brown Vassar Harvard Hamilton College Bryn Mawr Wellesley Johns Hopkins| Amherst College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,898 | 1,625 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #40 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,500 | $58,928 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,500 | $58,928 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,750 | $18,026 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,367 | $20,715 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $58,693 | $47,703 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 63% |
Admission |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,864 | 14,707 | ||
| Admitted | 1,079 | 1,019 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.3% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 43.3% | 42.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1420/1550 | 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 | Jan 2, 2025 | Jan 4, 2025 |
Academics |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $201 |
Diversity |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 48% | 49% | ||
| % Women | 52% | 51% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 8% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Amherst | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 13% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 74% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | 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
- Amherst College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,625 students)
Amherst vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Swarthmore?
- Amherst College is 7.8% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $58,928.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Amherst than Swarthmore College ($63,500.00 vs. $58,928.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Amherst ($20,715 vs. $21,367)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 7.6% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,750 vs. $18,026)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Amherst College (63% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 23% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($58,693 vs. $47,703)
Amherst vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 20 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
- Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
- Amherst has a higher acceptance rate (7.3%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Amherst vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst 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 Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Swarthmore College (96% vs. 95%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $16,200 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $65,800)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $6,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($12,975 vs. $19,500)
- Amherst graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($134 vs. $201)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/