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Haverford College Amherst Williams Vassar Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn Middlebury| Gordon College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Wenham, MA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,610 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #343 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Interdenominational | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | gordon.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $27,000 | $61,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,000 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,650 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,250 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,740 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 53% |
Admission |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,579 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 1,516 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 58.8% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.58 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1168/1370 | 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 |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 74% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,300 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $201 |
Diversity |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 15% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 72% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 8% | ||
| % International | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Gordon College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 35% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Gordon 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
- Swarthmore College is larger than than Gordon College based on total student enrollment (1,644 students vs. 1,610 students)
Gordon College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Gordon College or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 129.6% more expensive to attend than Gordon College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $27,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 129.6% higher at Swarthmore than Gordon College ($61,992.00 vs. $27,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Gordon College ($17,930 vs. $25,250)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 49.9% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($12,650 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Gordon College than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 294.4% larger than aid received Gordon College ($62,084 vs. $15,740)
Gordon College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Gordon College or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Gordon College .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 319 points higher than at Gordon College (1112)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Gordon College (26)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Gordon College (3.58)
- Gordon College has a higher acceptance rate (58.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Gordon College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Gordon 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 Gordon College.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Gordon College (95% vs. 74%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $20,500 more per year than Gordon College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $45,300)
- Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Gordon College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Gordon College graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gordon College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 85%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/