Bucknell vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Bucknell University or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bucknell 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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Bucknell University vs. Swarthmore College comparison
Bucknell University Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
Bucknell University Swarthmore College
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Overview

Bucknell Swarthmore
Location Lewisburg, PA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,787 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #71 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bucknell Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $61,408 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $61,408 $58,928
Room & Board $15,358 $18,026
Avg Net Price $39,965 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $37,775 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 63%

Admission

Bucknell Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,707 14,707
Admitted 3,811 1,019
Acceptance Rate 32.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 27.1% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 30/33 32/35
SAT Range 1310/1470 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 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Bucknell Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Bucknell Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 91% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,300 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $201

Diversity

Bucknell Swarthmore
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 42%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Bucknell Swarthmore
% In-State 21% 10%
% Out-of-State 74% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bucknell University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (3,787 students vs. 1,625 students)

Bucknell vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bucknell or Swarthmore?

  • Bucknell University is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at Bucknell than Swarthmore College ($61,408.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Bucknell ($20,715 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 17.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,358 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Bucknell University (63% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 26.3% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($47,703 vs. $37,775)

Bucknell vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 116 points higher than at Bucknell (1315)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Bucknell (30)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Bucknell (3.62)
  • Bucknell has a higher acceptance rate (32.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Bucknell vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Bucknell University (95% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $10,500 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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