Swarthmore vs. Ursinus College

Should I go to Swarthmore College or Ursinus College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Swarthmore or Ursinus College 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 Muhlenberg College Penn
Swarthmore College vs. Ursinus College comparison
Swarthmore College Ursinus College College 3 College 4
Swarthmore College Ursinus College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Swarthmore Ursinus College
Location Swarthmore, PA Collegeville, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,625 1,527
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #40 #214
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu ursinus.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Swarthmore Ursinus College
Tuition (In State) $58,928 $58,016
Tuition (Out of State) $58,928 $58,016
Room & Board $18,026 $14,624
Avg Net Price $20,715 $33,546
Avg Grant Aid $47,703 $40,075
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 100%

Admission

Swarthmore Ursinus College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,707 3,237
Admitted 1,019 2,661
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 82.2%
Enrolled % 42.5% 14.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 28/32
SAT Range 1440/1560 1180/1380
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 Ursinus College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Biology (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

Swarthmore Ursinus College
Graduation Rate 95% 80%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $279

Diversity

Swarthmore Ursinus College
% Men 49% 52%
% Women 51% 48%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 74%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Swarthmore Ursinus College
% In-State 10% 63%
% Out-of-State 75% 36%

Campus

Swarthmore Ursinus College
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 Ursinus College based on total student enrollment (1,625 students vs. 1,527 students)

Swarthmore vs. Ursinus College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Ursinus College?

  • Swarthmore College is 1.6% more expensive to attend than Ursinus College for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $58,016.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.6% higher at Swarthmore than Ursinus College ($58,928.00 vs. $58,016.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Ursinus College ($20,715 vs. $33,546)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ursinus College are 23.3% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,624 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ursinus College than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 19% larger than aid received Ursinus College ($47,703 vs. $40,075)

Swarthmore vs. Ursinus College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Ursinus College (3.53)
  • Ursinus College has a higher acceptance rate (82.2%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. Ursinus College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Swarthmore or Ursinus College? 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 Ursinus College and Swarthmore.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Ursinus College (95% vs. 80%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $7,800 more per year than Ursinus College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $58,000)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Ursinus College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than Ursinus College graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ursinus College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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