Duke vs. Swarthmore

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

Duke Swarthmore
Location Durham, NC Swarthmore, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 18,023 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #40
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Duke Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $58,928
Room & Board $16,651 $18,026
Avg Net Price $23,694 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 63%

Admission

Duke Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 14,707
Admitted 3,174 1,019
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 6.9%
Enrolled % 55% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 32/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 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 3, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Duke Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Duke Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 94% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $201

Diversity

Duke Swarthmore
% Men 45% 49%
% Women 55% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 42%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Duke Swarthmore
% In-State 12% 10%
% Out-of-State 74% 75%

Campus

Duke 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

  • Duke University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (18,023 students vs. 1,625 students)

Duke vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or Swarthmore?

  • Duke University is 2.6% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.6% higher at Duke than Swarthmore College ($60,435.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Duke ($20,715 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Duke University are 8.3% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,651 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Duke University (63% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 20.4% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($57,444 vs. $47,703)

Duke vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 19 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Duke 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 Duke.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Duke University (95% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $43,100 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $65,800)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($7,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Duke graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($77 vs. $201)
  • More Duke graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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