Penn State vs. Swarthmore

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Swarthmore College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Penn State Main Campus
Swarthmore College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Swarthmore Swarthmore, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Swarthmore Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Swarthmore 1,623
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Swarthmore Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Swarthmore #40
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Swarthmore -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Swarthmore Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Swarthmore

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Swarthmore $20,308
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Swarthmore $22,469
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Swarthmore $61,634
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Swarthmore 57%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Swarthmore 13,065
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Swarthmore 975
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Swarthmore 7.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Swarthmore 43.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Swarthmore 1530
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Swarthmore 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Swarthmore 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Swarthmore A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Swarthmore Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Swarthmore Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Swarthmore 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Swarthmore 1490/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Swarthmore Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Swarthmore 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Swarthmore
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Swarthmore 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Swarthmore $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Swarthmore 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Swarthmore $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Swarthmore $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Swarthmore 48%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Swarthmore 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Swarthmore Very High
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Swarthmore No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Swarthmore 42%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Swarthmore 17%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Swarthmore 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Swarthmore 13%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Swarthmore 8%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Swarthmore 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Swarthmore 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Swarthmore 10%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Swarthmore 77%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Penn State Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Penn State Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Penn State Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Swarthmore No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Penn State Yes
  • Swarthmore No

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

Penn State vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Swarthmore? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Penn State ($22,469 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 28.7% lower than at Swarthmore College ($14,474 vs. $20,308).
  • Swarthmore College is 217.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $44,850 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 56.7% higher at Swarthmore than at Penn State Main Campus (about $23,704 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Swarthmore College than at Penn State Main Campus (57% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 443.7% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($61,634 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Swarthmore? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Swarthmore and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 200 points higher than at Penn State (1330).
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 29 at Penn State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Swarthmore College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Swarthmore - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
  • Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (60.6%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

Penn State vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Swarthmore? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Swarthmore College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Penn State Main Campus's (87%).
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn a median of about $10,500 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,800 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Swarthmore College graduates have a $7,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($19,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Swarthmore graduates have an estimated $76 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.