Lafayette College vs. Swarthmore

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

Lafayette College Swarthmore
Location Easton, PA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,729 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #65 #40
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lafayette.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lafayette College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $58,110 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $58,110 $58,928
Room & Board $17,336 $18,026
Avg Net Price $37,186 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $24,981 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 63%

Admission

Lafayette College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,500 14,707
Admitted 3,531 1,019
Acceptance Rate 33.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 21.4% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 30/33 32/35
SAT Range 1330/1480 1440/1560
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 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Lafayette College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Lafayette College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 88% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,000 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $201

Diversity

Lafayette College Swarthmore
% Men 50% 49%
% Women 50% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 42%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Lafayette College Swarthmore
% In-State 16% 10%
% Out-of-State 76% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,729 students vs. 1,625 students)

Lafayette College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lafayette College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 1.4% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Swarthmore than Lafayette College ($58,928.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Lafayette College ($20,715 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lafayette College are 4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($17,336 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Swarthmore College (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 91% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($47,703 vs. $24,981)

Lafayette College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 137 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (33.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Lafayette College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lafayette 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 Lafayette College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Lafayette College (95% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $15,200 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Lafayette College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Lafayette College graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)

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