Clarkson vs. Swarthmore

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

Clarkson Swarthmore
Location Potsdam, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,719 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #220 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Clarkson Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $54,960 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $54,960 $58,928
Room & Board $16,744 $18,026
Avg Net Price $32,450 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $41,285 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

Clarkson Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,594 14,707
Admitted 5,171 1,019
Acceptance Rate 78.4% 6.9%
Enrolled % 11.5% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 25/30 32/35
SAT Range 1190/1370 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

Clarkson Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Clarkson Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 72% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,800 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $201

Diversity

Clarkson Swarthmore
% Men 64% 49%
% Women 36% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 42%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Clarkson Swarthmore
% In-State 65% 10%
% Out-of-State 31% 75%

Campus

Clarkson 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

  • Clarkson University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (3,719 students vs. 1,625 students)

Clarkson vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Clarkson or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 7.2% more expensive to attend than Clarkson for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Swarthmore than Clarkson University ($58,928.00 vs. $54,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Clarkson ($20,715 vs. $32,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clarkson University are 7.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,744 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 15.5% larger than aid received Clarkson University ($47,703 vs. $41,285)

Clarkson vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 233 points higher than at Clarkson (1198)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Clarkson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Clarkson (3.8)
  • Clarkson has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Clarkson vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clarkson 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 Clarkson.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Clarkson University (95% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Clarkson students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)

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