Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Haverford College Duke WUSTL Emory Rice Notre Dame Georgetown Amherst Northwestern Stanford Williams Vassar| Swarthmore College | Vanderbilt University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
| Location | Swarthmore, PA | Nashville, TN | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,625 | 13,710 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #40 | #14 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | swarthmore.edu | vanderbilt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,928 | $58,130 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,928 | $58,130 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,026 | $19,862 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,715 | $25,606 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $47,703 | $53,932 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 63% | 65% |
Admission |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,707 | 46,377 | ||
| Admitted | 1,019 | 3,093 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.9% | 6.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 42.5% | 52.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.89 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 32/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1440/1560 | 1490/1570 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 7:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
| Graduation Rate | 95% | 92% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $65,800 | $83,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $14,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $144 |
Diversity |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 49% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 51% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 55% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 5% | ||
| % International | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 5% |
Students |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 10% | 9% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 75% | 79% | ||
Campus |
Swarthmore | Vanderbilt | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Vanderbilt University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (13,710 students vs. 1,625 students)
Swarthmore vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Vanderbilt?
- Swarthmore College is 1.4% more expensive to attend than Vanderbilt for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $58,130.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at Swarthmore than Vanderbilt University ($58,928.00 vs. $58,130.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Vanderbilt ($20,715 vs. $25,606)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 10.2% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($18,026 vs. $19,862)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Vanderbilt University than Swarthmore College (65% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 13.1% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($53,932 vs. $47,703)
Swarthmore vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Swarthmore or Vanderbilt? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Vanderbilt or Swarthmore .
- The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 67 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
- Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Swarthmore (32)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
- Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)
Swarthmore vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Swarthmore or Vanderbilt? 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 Vanderbilt and Swarthmore.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Vanderbilt University (95% vs. 92%)
- Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $17,300 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $65,800)
- Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($14,000 vs. $19,500)
- Vanderbilt graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($144 vs. $201)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanderbilt 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/