JCU vs. Swarthmore

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

JCU Swarthmore
Location University Heights, OH Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,773 1,644
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #247 #41
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jcu.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

JCU Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $47,300 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $47,300 $61,992
Room & Board $14,160 $18,964
Avg Net Price $30,790 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $32,359 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 53%

Admission

JCU Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,238 14,287
Admitted 3,437 992
Acceptance Rate 81.1% 6.9%
Enrolled % 16.2% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 25/30 33/34
SAT Range 1190/1350 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, 2026

Academics

JCU Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

JCU Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 71% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,600 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,939 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $278 $201

Diversity

JCU Swarthmore
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 12% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 86% 42%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

JCU Swarthmore
% In-State 69% 10%
% Out-of-State 30% 75%

Campus

JCU 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

  • John Carroll University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,773 students vs. 1,644 students)

JCU vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JCU or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 31.1% more expensive to attend than JCU for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $47,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.1% higher at Swarthmore than John Carroll University ($61,992.00 vs. $47,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than JCU ($17,930 vs. $30,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Carroll University are 33.9% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,160 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Carroll University than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 91.9% larger than aid received John Carroll University ($62,084 vs. $32,359)

JCU vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 304 points higher than at JCU (1127)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at JCU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at JCU (3.66)
  • JCU has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

JCU vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, JCU 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 JCU.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than John Carroll University (95% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $8,200 more per year than JCU graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $57,600)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,439 lower median federal student loan debt than JCU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,939)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than JCU graduates. ($201 vs. $278)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JCU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 74%)

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