Bates vs. Swarthmore

Deciding between Bates College and Swarthmore College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Bates College
Swarthmore College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Bates Lewiston, ME
  • Swarthmore Swarthmore, PA
  • Setting
  • Bates Small City
  • Swarthmore Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Bates 1,760
  • Swarthmore 1,623
  • Type
  • Bates Private 4 Year
  • Swarthmore Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Bates #41
  • Swarthmore #40
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Bates -
  • Swarthmore -
  • Status
  • Bates Non-profit
  • Swarthmore Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Bates
  • Swarthmore

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Bates $66,590
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Bates $66,590
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Room & Board
  • Bates $18,780
  • Swarthmore $20,308
  • Average Net Price
  • Bates $24,723
  • Swarthmore $22,469
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Bates $58,809
  • Swarthmore $61,634
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Bates 40%
  • Swarthmore 57%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Bates 10,027
  • Swarthmore 13,065
  • Admitted
  • Bates 1,336
  • Swarthmore 975
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Bates 13.3%
  • Swarthmore 7.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Bates 36.5%
  • Swarthmore 43.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Bates 1480
  • Swarthmore 1530
  • Typical ACT score
  • Bates 32
  • Swarthmore 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Bates -
  • Swarthmore 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Bates -
  • Swarthmore A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Bates Exceptional
  • Swarthmore Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Bates Very High
  • Swarthmore Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Bates 31/34
  • Swarthmore 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • Bates 1420/1530
  • Swarthmore 1490/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Bates Test optional
  • Swarthmore Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Bates Jan 1, 2027
  • Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Bates 9:1
  • Swarthmore 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Bates
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • English and Literature (8%)
  • Swarthmore
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Bates 92%
  • Swarthmore 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Bates $75,700
  • Swarthmore $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Bates 90%
  • Swarthmore 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Bates $14,450
  • Swarthmore $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Bates $149
  • Swarthmore $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Bates 48%
  • Swarthmore 48%
  • % Women
  • Bates 52%
  • Swarthmore 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Bates Medium
  • Swarthmore Very High
  • HBCU
  • Bates No
  • Swarthmore No
  • % White
  • Bates 71%
  • Swarthmore 42%
  • % Asian
  • Bates 4%
  • Swarthmore 17%
  • % Black
  • Bates 5%
  • Swarthmore 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Bates 8%
  • Swarthmore 13%
  • % Native American
  • Bates 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Bates 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Bates 4%
  • Swarthmore 8%
  • % International
  • Bates 7%
  • Swarthmore 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Bates 0%
  • Swarthmore 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Bates 8%
  • Swarthmore 10%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Bates 81%
  • Swarthmore 77%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Bates Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Bates Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Bates Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Bates No
  • Swarthmore No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Bates No
  • Swarthmore No

Comparable Facts

Compare Bates College in Lewiston, ME with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Bates College is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,760 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Bates College is located in Lewiston, ME (Small City setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Bates College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Bates College 9:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

Bates vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bates or Swarthmore? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Bates ($22,469 vs. $24,723).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bates College are 7.5% lower than at Swarthmore College ($18,780 vs. $20,308).
  • Bates College is 1.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Swarthmore (about $1,096 more per year; $66,590.00 vs. $65,494.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.7% higher at Bates than at Swarthmore College (about $1,096 more per year; $66,590.00 vs. $65,494.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Swarthmore College than at Bates College (57% vs. 40%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 4.8% larger than aid received by Bates College students ($61,634 vs. $58,809).

Bates vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bates or Swarthmore? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Swarthmore and Bates.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 50 points higher than at Bates (1480).
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 32 at Bates).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bates College 1420/1530; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Bates College 31/34; Swarthmore College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Bates - Test optional; Swarthmore - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Bates Jan 1, 2027; Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
  • Bates has a higher acceptance rate (13.3%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 36.5% at Bates vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

Bates vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Bates and Swarthmore? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Swarthmore College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Bates College's (92%).
  • Graduates from Bates College earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than Swarthmore graduates about ten years after starting college ($75,700 vs. $65,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Bates College graduates have a $5,050 lower median loan debt than Swarthmore graduates ($14,450 vs. $19,500).
  • Among borrowers, Bates graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Swarthmore graduates ($149 vs. $201).
  • More Bates graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.