Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Haverford College Macalester College Grinnell Amherst St Olaf Williams Vassar Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon| Carleton College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,059 | 1,625 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #39 | #40 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | carleton.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,244 | $58,928 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,244 | $58,928 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,990 | $18,026 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $31,494 | $20,715 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $46,821 | $47,703 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 60% | 63% |
Admission |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,583 | 14,707 | ||
| Admitted | 1,427 | 1,019 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 16.6% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 37.3% | 42.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1430/1550 | 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 15, 2025 | Jan 4, 2025 |
Academics |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $65,600 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 92% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $201 |
Diversity |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 49% | ||
| % Women | 50% | 51% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 63% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 8% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Carleton College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 17% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 73% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Carleton College | 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
- Carleton College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 1,625 students)
Carleton College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or Swarthmore?
- Carleton College is 5.6% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $58,928.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at Carleton College than Swarthmore College ($62,244.00 vs. $58,928.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Carleton College ($20,715 vs. $31,494)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 12.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,990 vs. $18,026)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Carleton College (63% vs. 60%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 1.9% larger than aid received Carleton College ($47,703 vs. $46,821)
Carleton College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Carleton College or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Carleton College .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 31 points higher than at Carleton College (1400)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Carleton College (31)
- Accepted freshman Carleton College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.9) as students at Swarthmore (3.9)
- Carleton College has a higher acceptance rate (16.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Carleton College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Carleton 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 Carleton College.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Carleton College (95% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $200 more per year than Carleton College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $65,600)
- Swarthmore College and Carleton College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($19,500 vs. $19,500)
- Swarthmore College and Carleton College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($201 vs. $201)
- More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/