MIT vs. Swarthmore

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

MIT Swarthmore
Location Cambridge, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 11,858 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #8 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mit.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MIT Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $57,590 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $57,590 $58,928
Room & Board $18,790 $18,026
Avg Net Price $20,232 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $45,591 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 63%

Admission

MIT Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,767 14,707
Admitted 1,337 1,019
Acceptance Rate 4% 6.9%
Enrolled % 85% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 32/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1440/1560
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

MIT Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

MIT Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 93% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $142,100 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,316 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $179 $201

Diversity

MIT Swarthmore
% Men 57% 49%
% Women 43% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 37% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 15% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 8%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

MIT Swarthmore
% In-State 7% 10%
% Out-of-State 81% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (11,858 students vs. 1,625 students)

MIT vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MIT or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 2.3% more expensive to attend than MIT for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $57,590.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at Swarthmore than Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($58,928.00 vs. $57,590.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Swarthmore ($20,232 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 4.2% lower than costs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($18,026 vs. $18,790)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Swarthmore College (71% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 4.6% larger than aid received Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($47,703 vs. $45,591)

MIT vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 76 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming MIT students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman MIT students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than MIT (4%)

MIT vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MIT 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 MIT.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (95% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $76,300 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $65,800)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,184 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($17,316 vs. $19,500)
  • MIT graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($179 vs. $201)
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)

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