Swarthmore vs. Villanova

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

Swarthmore Villanova
Location Swarthmore, PA Villanova, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,644 10,111
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #65
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu villanova.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Swarthmore Villanova
Tuition (In State) $61,992 $63,806
Tuition (Out of State) $61,992 $63,806
Room & Board $18,964 $16,896
Avg Net Price $17,930 $37,946
Avg Grant Aid $62,084 $42,948
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 47%

Admission

Swarthmore Villanova
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,287 23,127
Admitted 992 5,810
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 25.1%
Enrolled % 41.8% 29.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 33/34 32/34
SAT Range 1460/1560 1400/1510
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 15, 2025

Academics

Swarthmore Villanova
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Swarthmore Villanova
Graduation Rate 95% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $85,100
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,497
Median Loan Payment $201 $273

Diversity

Swarthmore Villanova
% Men 0% 14%
% Women 1% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 74%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 2%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Swarthmore Villanova
% In-State 10% 20%
% Out-of-State 75% 77%

Campus

Swarthmore Villanova
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

  • Villanova University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (10,111 students vs. 1,644 students)

Swarthmore vs. Villanova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Villanova?

  • Villanova University is 2.9% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($63,806.00 vs. $61,992.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at Villanova than Swarthmore College ($63,806.00 vs. $61,992.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Villanova ($17,930 vs. $37,946)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Villanova University are 12.2% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,896 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Villanova University (53% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 44.6% larger than aid received Villanova University ($62,084 vs. $42,948)

Swarthmore vs. Villanova Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 105 points higher than at Villanova (1326)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Villanova (31)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Villanova (3.87)
  • Villanova has a higher acceptance rate (25.1%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. Villanova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Villanova University (95% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Villanova University earn on average $19,300 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($85,100 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $6,997 lower median federal student loan debt than Villanova graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,497)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Villanova graduates. ($201 vs. $273)
  • More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 87%)

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