Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Haverford College Amherst Williams Vassar Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn State Abington Penn| Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Media, PA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,196 | 1,625 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #729 | #40 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,624 | $58,928 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,318 | $58,928 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,930 | $18,026 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,600 | $20,715 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,638 | $47,703 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 70% | 63% |
Admission |
Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,440 | 14,707 | ||
| Admitted | 2,347 | 1,019 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.2% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 17% | 42.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 23/31 | 32/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1070/1285 | 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 Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 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 Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 61% | 49% | ||
| % Women | 39% | 51% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 63% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 15% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 8% | ||
| % International | 1% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 74% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 24% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Brandywine | Swarthmore | ||
| Campus Housing | No | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Swarthmore College is larger than than Penn State Brandywine based on total student enrollment (1,625 students vs. 1,196 students)
Penn State Brandywine vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Brandywine or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 303% more expensive to attend than Penn State Brandywine for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $14,624.00)
- Out of state tuition is 142.3% higher at Swarthmore than Penn State Brandywine ($58,928.00 vs. $24,318.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Penn State Brandywine ($20,715 vs. $21,600)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 29.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,930 vs. $18,026)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Brandywine than Swarthmore College (70% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 394.9% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($47,703 vs. $9,638)
Penn State Brandywine vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Brandywine or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Penn State Brandywine .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 462 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (969)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State Brandywine (22)
- Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (96.2%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Penn State Brandywine vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Penn State Brandywine (95% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,500 more per year than Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine 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/