Grove City College vs. Swarthmore

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

Grove City College Swarthmore
Location Grove City, Pennsylvania Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,394 1,644
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #41
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gcc.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grove City College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $20,890 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $20,890 $61,992
Room & Board $11,770 $18,964
Avg Net Price $24,184 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $8,222 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 53%

Admission

Grove City College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,034 14,287
Admitted 1,493 992
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 6.9%
Enrolled % 37.3% 41.8%
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 23/31 33/34
SAT Range 1128/1374 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 Mar 20, 2026 Jan 4, 2026

Academics

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

Outcomes

Grove City College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate - 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments - 87%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $19,500
Median Loan Payment N/A $201

Diversity

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

Students

Grove City College Swarthmore
% In-State 54% 10%
% Out-of-State 44% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Grove City College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,394 students vs. 1,644 students)

Grove City College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grove City College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 196.8% more expensive to attend than Grove City College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $20,890.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 196.8% higher at Swarthmore than Grove City College ($61,992.00 vs. $20,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Grove City College ($17,930 vs. $24,184)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grove City College are 61.1% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($11,770 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grove City College than Swarthmore College (60% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 655.1% larger than aid received Grove City College ($62,084 vs. $8,222)

Grove City College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Grove City College (3.73)
  • Grove City College has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Grove City College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grove City 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 Grove City College.

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