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BU Villanova Northeastern Haverford College Tufts Babson Amherst Colgate Brandeis University Williams Holy Cross Vassar| Boston College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Chestnut Hill, MA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,280 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #50 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bc.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,410 | $61,992 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,410 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,475 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $32,590 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $51,099 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 43% | 53% |
Admission |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 36,069 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 5,645 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 15.7% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.4% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.86 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/34 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1430/1540 | 1460/1560 | ||
| 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 1, 2026 | Jan 4, 2026 |
Academics |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $90,900 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 90% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,000 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $201 |
Diversity |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 8% | ||
| % International | 6% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 3% |
Students |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 75% | ||
Campus |
BC | Swarthmore | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Boston College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (15,280 students vs. 1,644 students)
BC vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BC or Swarthmore?
- Boston College is 7.1% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($66,410.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.1% higher at BC than Swarthmore College ($66,410.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than BC ($17,930 vs. $32,590)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 2.6% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($18,475 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Boston College (53% vs. 43%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 21.5% larger than aid received Boston College ($62,084 vs. $51,099)
BC vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BC or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or BC .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 51 points higher than at BC (1380)
- Incoming BC students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Swarthmore (32)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at BC (3.86)
- BC has a higher acceptance rate (15.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
BC vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BC 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 BC.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Boston College (95% vs. 91%)
- Graduates from Boston College earn on average $25,100 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $65,800)
- Boston College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($19,000 vs. $19,500)
- BC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($196 vs. $201)
- More BC 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/