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Virginia Tech UD Haverford College Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Amherst Clemson| Penn State Main Campus | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | University Park, PA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 50,028 | 1,625 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #167 | #40 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $18,368 | $58,928 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $35,946 | $58,928 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,744 | $18,026 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,747 | $20,715 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,066 | $47,703 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 44% | 63% |
Admission |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 85,784 | 14,707 | ||
| Admitted | 47,360 | 1,019 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 55.2% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.5% | 42.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 26/31 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1210/1390 | 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 4, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $201 |
Diversity |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 49% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 51% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 69% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 8% | ||
| % International | 11% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Penn State | Swarthmore | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 1,625 students)
Penn State vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 220.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $18,368.00)
- Out of state tuition is 63.9% higher at Swarthmore than Penn State Main Campus ($58,928.00 vs. $35,946.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Penn State ($20,715 vs. $26,747)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 41.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($12,744 vs. $18,026)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Penn State Main Campus (63% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 373.9% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($47,703 vs. $10,066)
Penn State vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Penn State .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 229 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Penn State vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State 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 Penn State.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Penn State Main Campus (95% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,500 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $55,300)
- Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/