Swarthmore vs. EMU

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

 Swarthmore EMU
Location Swarthmore, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,625 1,334
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #40 #215
Religious Affiliation - Mennonite Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu emu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Swarthmore EMU
Tuition (In State) $58,928 $40,590
Tuition (Out of State) $58,928 $40,590
Room & Board $18,026 $12,240
Avg Net Price $20,715 $23,783
Avg Grant Aid $47,703 $30,460
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 96%

Admission

 Swarthmore EMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,707 1,144
Admitted 1,019 1,138
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 99.5%
Enrolled % 42.5% 17.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 25/34
SAT Range 1440/1560 1040/1590
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 4, 2025

Academics

 Swarthmore EMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Health Professions (30%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Swarthmore EMU
Graduation Rate 95% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,450
Median Loan Payment $201 $242

Diversity

 Swarthmore EMU
% Men 49% 34%
% Women 51% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 71%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 3%
% International 11% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Swarthmore EMU
% In-State 10% 68%
% Out-of-State 75% 27%

Campus

 Swarthmore EMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Swarthmore College is larger than than EMU based on total student enrollment (1,625 students vs. 1,334 students)

Swarthmore vs. EMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or EMU?

  • Swarthmore College is 45.2% more expensive to attend than EMU for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $40,590.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.2% higher at Swarthmore than Eastern Mennonite University ($58,928.00 vs. $40,590.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than EMU ($20,715 vs. $23,783)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Mennonite University are 47.3% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($12,240 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Mennonite University than Swarthmore College (96% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 56.6% larger than aid received Eastern Mennonite University ($47,703 vs. $30,460)

Swarthmore vs. EMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 422 points higher than at EMU (1009)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at EMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at EMU (3.7)
  • EMU has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. EMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Eastern Mennonite University (95% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $21,900 more per year than EMU graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $43,900)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $3,950 lower median federal student loan debt than EMU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,450)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than EMU graduates. ($201 vs. $242)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former EMU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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