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Haverford College Amherst Williams Vassar Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn Middlebury| Penn State York | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State York | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | York, PA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Midsize Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 707 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #41 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State York | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,624 | $61,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,562 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,448 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,159 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,372 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 79% | 53% |
Admission |
Penn State York | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,012 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 1,855 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 92.2% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 33/34 | |||
| SAT Range | 1070/1270 | 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 York | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State York | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 45% | 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 York | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 63% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 8% | ||
| % International | 15% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State York | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 81% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 17% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Penn State York | Swarthmore | ||
| Campus Housing | No | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Swarthmore College is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (1,644 students vs. 707 students)
Penn State York vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State York or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 323.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State York for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $14,624.00)
- Out of state tuition is 152.4% higher at Swarthmore than Penn State York ($61,992.00 vs. $24,562.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Penn State York ($17,930 vs. $19,159)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State York are 41% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,448 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State York than Swarthmore College (79% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 641.6% larger than aid received Penn State York ($62,084 vs. $8,372)
Penn State York vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State York or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Penn State York .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 381 points higher than at Penn State York (1050)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State York (24)
- Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (92.2%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Penn State York vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State York 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 York.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Penn State York (95% vs. 45%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,500 more per year than Penn State York 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 York graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State York 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/