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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn| Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Middletown, PA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 4,651 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #595 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $61,992 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,870 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,406 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,421 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 53% |
Admission |
Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 10,296 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 9,924 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 96.4% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.2% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.48 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 26/30 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1110/1320 | 1460/1560 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 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 Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 8% | ||
| % International | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State Harrisburg | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 46% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 27% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Harrisburg | 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
- Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 1,644 students)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 302.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 137.4% higher at Swarthmore than Penn State Harrisburg ($61,992.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Penn State Harrisburg ($17,930 vs. $22,406)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 19.5% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,870 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Harrisburg than Swarthmore College (54% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 637.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($62,084 vs. $8,421)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Harrisburg or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Penn State Harrisburg .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 388 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
- Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (95% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,500 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/