Swarthmore vs. Brown

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

Swarthmore Brown
Location Swarthmore, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,625 11,189
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #40 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Swarthmore Brown
Tuition (In State) $58,928 $62,680
Tuition (Out of State) $58,928 $62,680
Room & Board $18,026 $15,840
Avg Net Price $20,715 $26,723
Avg Grant Aid $47,703 $55,847
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 46%

Admission

Swarthmore Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,707 50,649
Admitted 1,019 2,562
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 5.1%
Enrolled % 42.5% 67%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 34/36
SAT Range 1440/1560 1490/1580
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 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

Swarthmore Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

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 49% 48%
% Women 51% 52%
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% 79%

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 (11,189 students vs. 1,625 students)

Swarthmore vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Brown?

  • Brown University is 6.4% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($62,680.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.4% higher at Brown than Swarthmore College ($62,680.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Brown ($20,715 vs. $26,723)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 13.8% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,840 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Brown University (63% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brown University students is 17.1% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($55,847 vs. $47,703)

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 (5.1%)

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/