MICA vs. Swarthmore

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

MICA Swarthmore
Location Baltimore, MD Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,952 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #335 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mica.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MICA Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $51,870 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $51,870 $58,928
Room & Board $15,290 $18,026
Avg Net Price $43,545 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $25,767 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

MICA Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,139 14,707
Admitted 2,498 1,019
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 9.1% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 17/23 32/35
SAT Range 967/1362 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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

MICA Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

MICA Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 71% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $201

Diversity

MICA Swarthmore
% Men 25% 49%
% Women 75% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 8%
% International 15% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

MICA Swarthmore
% In-State 28% 10%
% Out-of-State 56% 75%

Campus

MICA 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

  • Maryland Institute College of Art is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,952 students vs. 1,625 students)

MICA vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MICA or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 13.6% more expensive to attend than MICA for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $51,870.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at Swarthmore than Maryland Institute College of Art ($58,928.00 vs. $51,870.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than MICA ($20,715 vs. $43,545)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Maryland Institute College of Art are 17.9% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,290 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Maryland Institute College of Art than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 85.1% larger than aid received Maryland Institute College of Art ($47,703 vs. $25,767)

MICA vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 291 points higher than at MICA (1140)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at MICA (3.47)
  • MICA has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

MICA vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MICA 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 MICA.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Maryland Institute College of Art (95% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $25,500 more per year than MICA graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $40,300)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than MICA graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than MICA graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MICA students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 72%)

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