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Haverford College Harvard Dartmouth Princeton Amherst Yale Cornell Williams Johns Hopkins Penn Vassar Tufts| Swarthmore College | Brown University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
| Location | Swarthmore, PA | Providence, RI | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,644 | 11,516 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #41 | #11 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | swarthmore.edu | brown.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,992 | $65,656 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,992 | $65,656 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,964 | $16,598 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,930 | $26,608 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $62,084 | $58,378 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 53% | 51% |
Admission |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,287 | 51,316 | ||
| Admitted | 992 | 2,686 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.9% | 5.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.8% | 63.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.94 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/34 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1460/1560 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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 | Jan 5, 2026 |
Academics |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
| Graduation Rate | 95% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $65,800 | $87,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $155 |
Diversity |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 43% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 6% | ||
| % International | 11% | 12% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 7% |
Students |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 10% | 3% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 75% | 81% | ||
Campus |
Swarthmore | Brown | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Brown University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (11,516 students vs. 1,644 students)
Swarthmore vs. Brown Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Brown?
- Brown University is 5.9% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($65,656.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at Brown than Swarthmore College ($65,656.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Brown ($17,930 vs. $26,608)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 14.3% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,598 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Brown University (53% vs. 51%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 6.3% larger than aid received Brown University ($62,084 vs. $58,378)
Swarthmore vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Swarthmore or Brown? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Brown or Swarthmore .
- The average SAT score at Brown University (1457) is 26 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
- Incoming Brown students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
- Accepted freshman Brown students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
- Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Brown (5.2%)
Swarthmore vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Swarthmore or Brown? 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 Brown and Swarthmore.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is the same as at Brown University (95% vs. 95%)
- Graduates from Brown University earn on average $21,800 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($87,600 vs. $65,800)
- Brown University students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,500)
- Brown graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($155 vs. $201)
- More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/