Emerson vs. Swarthmore

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

Emerson Swarthmore
Location Boston, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,891 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #235 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Emerson Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $52,288 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $52,288 $58,928
Room & Board $19,528 $18,026
Avg Net Price $51,432 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $24,360 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 63%

Admission

Emerson Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,109 14,707
Admitted 5,176 1,019
Acceptance Rate 42.7% 6.9%
Enrolled % 19.4% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/32 32/35
SAT Range 1250/1430 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 Feb 20, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Emerson Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Emerson Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 81% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $242 $201

Diversity

Emerson Swarthmore
% Men 28% 49%
% Women 72% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 42%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Emerson Swarthmore
% In-State 14% 10%
% Out-of-State 69% 75%

Campus

Emerson 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

  • Emerson College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (5,891 students vs. 1,625 students)

Emerson vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 12.7% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.7% higher at Swarthmore than Emerson College ($58,928.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Emerson ($20,715 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 8.3% lower than costs at Emerson College ($18,026 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Swarthmore College (78% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 95.8% larger than aid received Emerson College ($47,703 vs. $24,360)

Emerson vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 220 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Emerson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Emerson (3.73)
  • Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (42.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Emerson vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emerson 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 Emerson.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Emerson College (95% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $16,600 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $49,200)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($201 vs. $242)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emerson students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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