Houghton College vs. Swarthmore

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

Houghton College Swarthmore
Location Houghton, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Remote Rural Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,014 1,644
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #447 #41
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website houghton.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Houghton College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $16,690 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $16,690 $61,992
Room & Board $10,810 $18,964
Avg Net Price $22,358 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $7,149 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 53%

Admission

Houghton College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,068 14,287
Admitted 990 992
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 6.9%
Enrolled % 23.7% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.9
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 23/28 33/34
SAT Range 1180/1390 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 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Houghton College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Houghton College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 68% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $263 $201

Diversity

Houghton College Swarthmore
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 3% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 42%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Houghton College Swarthmore
% In-State 57% 10%
% Out-of-State 43% 75%

Campus

Houghton 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 Houghton College based on total student enrollment (1,644 students vs. 1,014 students)

Houghton College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Houghton College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 271.4% more expensive to attend than Houghton College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 271.4% higher at Swarthmore than Houghton College ($61,992.00 vs. $16,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Houghton College ($17,930 vs. $22,358)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 75.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($10,810 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 768.4% larger than aid received Houghton College ($62,084 vs. $7,149)

Houghton College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 321 points higher than at Houghton College (1110)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Houghton College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Houghton College has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Houghton College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Houghton 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 Houghton College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Houghton College (95% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $21,500 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $44,300)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Houghton College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $25,500)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Houghton College graduates. ($201 vs. $263)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Houghton College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 77%)

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