Purchase College vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College 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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SUNY at Purchase College vs. Swarthmore College comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Swarthmore College
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Overview

Purchase College Swarthmore
Location Purchase, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 1,644
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $61,992
Room & Board $15,400 $18,964
Avg Net Price $18,651 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 53%

Admission

Purchase College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 14,287
Admitted 5,259 992
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 6.9%
Enrolled % 14.8% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 27/32 33/34
SAT Range 1178/1363 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 Jul 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Purchase College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 56% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $201

Diversity

Purchase College Swarthmore
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 1%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 42%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 18% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Purchase College Swarthmore
% In-State 78% 10%
% Out-of-State 21% 75%

Campus

Purchase College 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

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 1,644 students)

Purchase College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 776.8% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 265.1% higher at Swarthmore than SUNY at Purchase College ($61,992.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Purchase College ($17,930 vs. $18,651)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 23.1% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,400 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Swarthmore College (72% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 544.9% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($62,084 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 349 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Purchase College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (95% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $25,600 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $40,200)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,500)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($201 vs. $232)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 65%)

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