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Haverford College Amherst Williams Vassar Whitman College Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn| Reed College | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Portland, OR | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,458 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #80 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | reed.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,710 | $61,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,710 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,820 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $36,993 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $46,317 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 55% | 53% |
Admission |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 10,045 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 2,728 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 27.2% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.9% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 29/34 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1510 | 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 |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 80% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,200 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,000 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $165 | $201 |
Diversity |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 60% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 8% | ||
| % International | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 10% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 83% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Reed | Swarthmore | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Swarthmore College is larger than than Reed based on total student enrollment (1,644 students vs. 1,458 students)
Reed vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Reed or Swarthmore?
- Reed College is 7.6% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($66,710.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.6% higher at Reed than Swarthmore College ($66,710.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Reed ($17,930 vs. $36,993)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Reed College are 12.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,820 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Reed College than Swarthmore College (55% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 34% larger than aid received Reed College ($62,084 vs. $46,317)
Reed vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Reed or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Reed .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 48 points higher than at Reed (1383)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Reed (31)
- Accepted freshman Reed students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
- Reed has a higher acceptance rate (27.2%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Reed vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Reed 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 Reed.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Reed College (95% vs. 80%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $18,600 more per year than Reed graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $47,200)
- Reed College students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($16,000 vs. $19,500)
- Reed graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($165 vs. $201)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Reed students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/