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Haverford College Hamilton College Amherst Colgate Middlebury Williams Vassar Tufts Bryn Mawr BC Johns Hopkins Pomona| Colby College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Waterville, ME | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,284 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #37 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colby.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,790 | $61,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,790 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,120 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,163 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $66,387 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 53% |
Admission |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 1,215 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.8% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 49.8% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.86 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1440/1550 | 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 |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $73,400 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 88% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,345 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $201 |
Diversity |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 8% | ||
| % International | 11% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 3% |
Students |
Colby College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 7% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 79% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Colby College | 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
- Colby College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,284 students vs. 1,644 students)
Colby College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Swarthmore?
- Colby College is 2.9% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($63,790.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at Colby College than Swarthmore College ($63,790.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Swarthmore ($15,163 vs. $17,930)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 10.8% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($17,120 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Colby College (53% vs. 42%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 6.9% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($66,387 vs. $62,084)
Colby College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colby College or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Colby College .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 68 points higher than at Colby College (1363)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Colby College (31)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Colby College (3.86)
- Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Colby College (6.8%)
Colby College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colby 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 Colby College.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Colby College (95% vs. 91%)
- Graduates from Colby College earn on average $7,600 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($73,400 vs. $65,800)
- Colby College students graduate with a $155 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($19,345 vs. $19,500)
- Colby College graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($200 vs. $201)
- More Colby College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/