Northeastern vs. Swarthmore

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

Northeastern Swarthmore
Location Boston, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,013 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #130 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northeastern.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northeastern Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $59,100 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $59,100 $58,928
Room & Board $18,430 $18,026
Avg Net Price $35,827 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $42,331 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 63%

Admission

Northeastern Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 91,000 14,707
Admitted 6,191 1,019
Acceptance Rate 6.8% 6.9%
Enrolled % 40.7% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1440/1550 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 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Northeastern Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Northeastern Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 77% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $69,500 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,875 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $288 $201

Diversity

Northeastern Swarthmore
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 42%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 20% 11%
% Unknown Race 6% 3%

Students

Northeastern Swarthmore
% In-State 21% 10%
% Out-of-State 66% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northeastern University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (30,013 students vs. 1,625 students)

Northeastern vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northeastern or Swarthmore?

  • Northeastern University is 0.3% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($59,100.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.3% higher at Northeastern than Swarthmore College ($59,100.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Northeastern ($20,715 vs. $35,827)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 2.2% lower than costs at Northeastern University ($18,026 vs. $18,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northeastern University than Swarthmore College (82% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 12.7% larger than aid received Northeastern University ($47,703 vs. $42,331)

Northeastern vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northeastern University (1435) is 4 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Northeastern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Northeastern students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Northeastern (6.8%)

Northeastern vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northeastern 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 Northeastern.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Northeastern University (95% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Northeastern University earn on average $3,700 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($69,500 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $8,375 lower median federal student loan debt than Northeastern graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,875)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than Northeastern graduates. ($201 vs. $288)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northeastern students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 79%)

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