Haverford College vs. Swarthmore

Deciding between Haverford College and Swarthmore College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Haverford College
Swarthmore College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Haverford College Haverford, PA
  • Swarthmore Swarthmore, PA
  • Setting
  • Haverford College Large Suburban
  • Swarthmore Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Haverford College 1,431
  • Swarthmore 1,623
  • Type
  • Haverford College Private 4 Year
  • Swarthmore Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Haverford College #42
  • Swarthmore #40
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Haverford College -
  • Swarthmore -
  • Status
  • Haverford College Non-profit
  • Swarthmore Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Haverford College
  • Swarthmore
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Haverford College $70,688
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Haverford College $70,688
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Room & Board
  • Haverford College $19,548
  • Swarthmore $20,308
  • Average Net Price
  • Haverford College $26,535
  • Swarthmore $22,469
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Haverford College $63,742
  • Swarthmore $61,634
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Haverford College 48%
  • Swarthmore 57%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Haverford College 7,341
  • Swarthmore 13,065
  • Admitted
  • Haverford College 908
  • Swarthmore 975
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Haverford College 12.4%
  • Swarthmore 7.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Haverford College 42.6%
  • Swarthmore 43.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Haverford College 1510
  • Swarthmore 1530
  • Typical ACT score
  • Haverford College 34
  • Swarthmore 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Haverford College 3.9
  • Swarthmore 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Haverford College A
  • Swarthmore A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Haverford College Elite
  • Swarthmore Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Haverford College Very High
  • Swarthmore Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Haverford College 33/35
  • Swarthmore 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • Haverford College 1460/1550
  • Swarthmore 1490/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Haverford College Test optional
  • Swarthmore Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Haverford College Jan 15, 2027
  • Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Haverford College 8:1
  • Swarthmore 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Haverford College
    • Social Sciences (24%)
    • English and Literature (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Physical Sciences (9%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • Swarthmore
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Haverford College 92%
  • Swarthmore 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Haverford College $68,800
  • Swarthmore $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Haverford College 88%
  • Swarthmore 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Haverford College $13,000
  • Swarthmore $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Haverford College $134
  • Swarthmore $201
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Haverford College 43%
  • Swarthmore 48%
  • % Women
  • Haverford College 57%
  • Swarthmore 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Haverford College High
  • Swarthmore Very High
  • HBCU
  • Haverford College No
  • Swarthmore No
  • % White
  • Haverford College 61%
  • Swarthmore 42%
  • % Asian
  • Haverford College 10%
  • Swarthmore 17%
  • % Black
  • Haverford College 7%
  • Swarthmore 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Haverford College 10%
  • Swarthmore 13%
  • % Native American
  • Haverford College 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Haverford College 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Haverford College 4%
  • Swarthmore 8%
  • % International
  • Haverford College 7%
  • Swarthmore 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Haverford College 2%
  • Swarthmore 3%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Haverford College 12%
  • Swarthmore 10%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Haverford College 76%
  • Swarthmore 77%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Haverford College Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Haverford College No
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Haverford College Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Haverford College No
  • Swarthmore No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Haverford College No
  • Swarthmore No

Comparable Facts

Compare Haverford College in Haverford, PA with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Swarthmore College is larger than Haverford College based on total student enrollment (1,623 students vs. 1,431 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Haverford College is located in Haverford, PA (Large Suburban setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Haverford College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Haverford College 8:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

Haverford College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Haverford College or Swarthmore? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Haverford College ($22,469 vs. $26,535).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Haverford College are 3.7% lower than at Swarthmore College ($19,548 vs. $20,308).
  • Haverford College is 7.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Swarthmore (about $5,194 more per year; $70,688.00 vs. $65,494.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 7.9% higher at Haverford College than at Swarthmore College (about $5,194 more per year; $70,688.00 vs. $65,494.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Swarthmore College than at Haverford College (57% vs. 48%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Haverford College students is 3.4% larger than aid received by Swarthmore College students ($63,742 vs. $61,634).

Haverford College vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Haverford College or Swarthmore? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Swarthmore and Haverford College.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 20 points higher than at Haverford College (1510).
  • Incoming Haverford College students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 34) as students at Swarthmore (34).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Haverford College 1460/1550; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Haverford College 33/35; Swarthmore College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Haverford College - Test optional; Swarthmore - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Haverford College Jan 15, 2027; Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Haverford College students have the same average high school GPA (3.9) as students at Swarthmore (3.9).
  • Haverford College has a higher acceptance rate (12.4%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 42.6% at Haverford College vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

Haverford College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Haverford College and Swarthmore? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Swarthmore College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Haverford College's (92%).
  • Graduates from Haverford College earn a median of about $3,000 more per year than Swarthmore graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,800 vs. $65,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Haverford College graduates have a $6,500 lower median loan debt than Swarthmore graduates ($13,000 vs. $19,500).
  • Among borrowers, Haverford College graduates have an estimated $67 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Swarthmore graduates ($134 vs. $201).
  • More Haverford College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.