Gettysburg College vs. Swarthmore

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

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
Location Gettysburg, PA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,854 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #75 #40
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gettysburg.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $61,760 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $61,760 $58,928
Room & Board $14,930 $18,026
Avg Net Price $33,882 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $43,239 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 63%

Admission

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,796 14,707
Admitted 3,264 1,019
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 6.9%
Enrolled % 19.7% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA - 3.9
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 32/35
SAT Range 1350/1440 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 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 85% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,900 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $201

Diversity

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 42%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Gettysburg College Swarthmore
% In-State 25% 10%
% Out-of-State 63% 75%

Campus

Gettysburg College 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

  • Gettysburg College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,854 students vs. 1,625 students)

Gettysburg College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gettysburg College or Swarthmore?

  • Gettysburg College is 4.8% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($61,760.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at Gettysburg College than Swarthmore College ($61,760.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Gettysburg College ($20,715 vs. $33,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gettysburg College are 20.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,930 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gettysburg College than Swarthmore College (95% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 10.3% larger than aid received Gettysburg College ($47,703 vs. $43,239)

Gettysburg College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Gettysburg College has a higher acceptance rate (56.3%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Gettysburg College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gettysburg 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 Gettysburg College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Gettysburg College (95% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $4,900 more per year than Gettysburg College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $60,900)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Gettysburg College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Gettysburg College graduates. ($201 vs. $227)
  • More Gettysburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

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