Swarthmore vs. William & Mary

Comparable Facts

Compare Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA with William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

William & Mary is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (9,818 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Swarthmore College is located in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting); William & Mary is in Williamsburg, VA (Large Suburban setting).
• Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. William & Mary is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Swarthmore College 7:1; William & Mary 12:1.

Swarthmore vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or William & Mary? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William & Mary than Swarthmore ($19,686 vs. $22,469).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William & Mary are 20.3% lower than at Swarthmore College ($16,182 vs. $20,308).
• Swarthmore College is 152.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than William & Mary (about $39,580 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $25,914.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.3% higher at Swarthmore than at William & Mary (about $14,456 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $51,038.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Swarthmore College than at William & Mary (57% vs. 43%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 166.3% larger than aid received by William & Mary students ($61,634 vs. $23,144).

Swarthmore vs. William & Mary Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Swarthmore or William & Mary? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between William & Mary and Swarthmore.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 60 points higher than at William & Mary (1470).
• Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 33 at William & Mary).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Swarthmore College 1490/1560; William & Mary 1400/1530.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Swarthmore College 33/35; William & Mary 32/34.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Swarthmore - Test optional; William & Mary - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027; William & Mary Jan 2, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at William & Mary (3.85).
• William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (34.1%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 43.8% at Swarthmore vs. 26.6% at William & Mary.

Swarthmore vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Swarthmore and William & Mary? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Swarthmore College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than William & Mary's (91%).
• Graduates from William & Mary earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than Swarthmore graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,700 vs. $65,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, William & Mary and Swarthmore graduates have the same median loan debt ($19,500 vs. $19,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, William & Mary and Swarthmore graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($201 vs. $201).
• More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William & Mary students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 85%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.