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Lehigh Bucknell Haverford College Villanova Amherst Williams Vassar Fordham Union College Skidmore College Colgate University of Richmond| Lafayette College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Lafayette College | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Easton, PA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,764 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #66 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | lafayette.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Lafayette College | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,482 | $61,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,482 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,640 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $34,728 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $44,126 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 53% |
Admission |
Lafayette College | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,874 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 3,107 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 31.5% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.4% | 41.8% | ||
| 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 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1340/1490 | 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 15, 2026 | Jan 4, 2026 |
Academics |
Lafayette College | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 8:1 | ||
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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 | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 1% | ||
| 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 | 13% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 79% | 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 (2,764 students vs. 1,644 students)
Lafayette College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Lafayette College or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 0.8% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $61,482.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at Swarthmore than Lafayette College ($61,992.00 vs. $61,482.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Lafayette College ($17,930 vs. $34,728)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lafayette College are 1.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($18,640 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Lafayette College (53% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 40.7% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($62,084 vs. $44,126)
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 (31.5%) 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/