Brooklyn College vs. Swarthmore

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

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CUNY Brooklyn College vs. Swarthmore College comparison
CUNY Brooklyn College Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
CUNY Brooklyn College Swarthmore College
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Overview

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
Location Brooklyn, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,935 1,644
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #264 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuny.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $6,930 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $14,880 $61,992
Room & Board $21,788 $18,964
Avg Net Price $4,105 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $9,290 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 53%

Admission

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,112 14,287
Admitted 14,548 992
Acceptance Rate 53.7% 6.9%
Enrolled % 10.4% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 33/34
SAT Range 1140/1420 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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 4, 2026

Academics

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 48% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,900 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $10,382 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $107 $201

Diversity

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 13% 1%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 33% 42%
% Black 22% 6%
% Hispanic 22% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Brooklyn College Swarthmore
% In-State 91% 10%
% Out-of-State 0% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY Brooklyn College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (13,935 students vs. 1,644 students)

Brooklyn College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Brooklyn College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 794.5% more expensive to attend than Brooklyn College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 316.6% higher at Swarthmore than CUNY Brooklyn College ($61,992.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Brooklyn College than Swarthmore ($4,105 vs. $17,930)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 14.9% lower than costs at CUNY Brooklyn College ($18,964 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Brooklyn College than Swarthmore College (88% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 568.3% larger than aid received CUNY Brooklyn College ($62,084 vs. $9,290)

Brooklyn College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 316 points higher than at Brooklyn College (1115)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Brooklyn College (3.42)
  • Brooklyn College has a higher acceptance rate (53.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Brooklyn College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Brooklyn 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 Brooklyn College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than CUNY Brooklyn College (95% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $17,900 more per year than Brooklyn College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY Brooklyn College students graduate with a $9,118 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($10,382 vs. $19,500)
  • Brooklyn College graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($107 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Brooklyn College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 54%)

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