Colby College vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Colby College or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colby College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Haverford College Hamilton College Amherst Colgate Middlebury Williams Vassar Tufts Bryn Mawr BC Johns Hopkins Pomona
Colby College vs. Swarthmore College comparison
Colby College Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
Colby College Swarthmore College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Colby College Swarthmore
Location Waterville, ME Swarthmore, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,299 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #44 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colby.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colby College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $60,840 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $60,840 $58,928
Room & Board $16,330 $18,026
Avg Net Price $16,951 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $61,714 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 41% 63%

Admission

Colby College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,890 14,707
Admitted 1,286 1,019
Acceptance Rate 7.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 52.3% 42.5%
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 32/35
SAT Range 1430/1540 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 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Colby College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

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 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
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 (2,299 students vs. 1,625 students)

Colby College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colby College or Swarthmore?

  • Colby College is 3.2% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($60,840.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at Colby College than Swarthmore College ($60,840.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colby College than Swarthmore ($16,951 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colby College are 10.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,330 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Colby College (63% vs. 41%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colby College students is 29.4% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($61,714 vs. $47,703)

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)
  • Colby College has a higher acceptance rate (7.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

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/