Swarthmore vs. BC

Should I go to Swarthmore College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Swarthmore or BC 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.

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 Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn Middlebury
Swarthmore College vs. Bridgewater College comparison
Swarthmore College Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
Swarthmore College Bridgewater College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Swarthmore BC
Location Swarthmore, PA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,644 1,436
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Swarthmore BC
Tuition (In State) $61,992 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $61,992 $40,300
Room & Board $18,964 $14,370
Avg Net Price $17,930 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $62,084 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 100%

Admission

Swarthmore BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,287 3,984
Admitted 992 3,618
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 90.8%
Enrolled % 41.8% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 33/34 28/29
SAT Range 1460/1560 1070/1375
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, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Swarthmore BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Swarthmore BC
Graduation Rate 95% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $279

Diversity

Swarthmore BC
% Men 0% 1%
% Women 1% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 73%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Swarthmore BC
% In-State 10% 69%
% Out-of-State 75% 25%

Campus

Swarthmore BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
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 BC based on total student enrollment (1,644 students vs. 1,436 students)

Swarthmore vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or BC?

  • Swarthmore College is 53.8% more expensive to attend than BC for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $40,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.8% higher at Swarthmore than Bridgewater College ($61,992.00 vs. $40,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than BC ($17,930 vs. $19,660)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 32% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,370 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 70.8% larger than aid received Bridgewater College ($62,084 vs. $36,350)

Swarthmore vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 397 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at BC (3.61)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Swarthmore or BC? 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 BC and Swarthmore.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Bridgewater College (95% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $22,700 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $43,100)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 77%)

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