RIT vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Rochester Institute of Technology or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if RIT or Swarthmore is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Rochester Institute of Technology vs. Swarthmore College comparison
Rochester Institute of Technology Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
Rochester Institute of Technology Swarthmore College
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Overview

RIT Swarthmore
Location Rochester, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,863 1,644
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #182 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rit.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

RIT Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $56,136 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $56,136 $61,992
Room & Board $15,516 $18,964
Avg Net Price $39,753 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $31,931 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 53%

Admission

RIT Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,269 14,287
Admitted 17,328 992
Acceptance Rate 71.4% 6.9%
Enrolled % 17.6% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/33 33/34
SAT Range 1280/1460 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 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

RIT Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (16%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Engineering Technology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

RIT Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 64% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,900 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $289 $201

Diversity

RIT Swarthmore
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 7% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 42%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

RIT Swarthmore
% In-State 45% 10%
% Out-of-State 52% 75%

Campus

RIT 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

  • Rochester Institute of Technology is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (16,863 students vs. 1,644 students)

RIT vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RIT or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 10.4% more expensive to attend than RIT for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $56,136.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.4% higher at Swarthmore than Rochester Institute of Technology ($61,992.00 vs. $56,136.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than RIT ($17,930 vs. $39,753)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rochester Institute of Technology are 22.2% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,516 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rochester Institute of Technology than Swarthmore College (99% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 94.4% larger than aid received Rochester Institute of Technology ($62,084 vs. $31,931)

RIT vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RIT or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or RIT .

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 180 points higher than at RIT (1251)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at RIT (29)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at RIT (3.7)
  • RIT has a higher acceptance rate (71.4%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

RIT vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, RIT 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 RIT .

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Rochester Institute of Technology (95% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $900 more per year than RIT graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $64,900)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than RIT graduates. ($19,500 vs. $28,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than RIT graduates. ($201 vs. $289)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIT students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/