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Haverford College Amherst Williams Vassar Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn Middlebury| Swarthmore College | Virginia Wesleyan College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
| Location | Swarthmore, PA | Norfolk, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,644 | 1,711 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #41 | #679 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | swarthmore.edu | vwc.edu | ||
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Costs |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,992 | $36,010 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,992 | $36,010 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,964 | $11,513 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,930 | $21,862 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $62,084 | $29,360 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 53% | 100% |
Admission |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,287 | 2,651 | ||
| Admitted | 992 | 1,890 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 6.9% | 71.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 41.8% | 19.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.9 | 3.39 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 33/34 | 28/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1460/1560 | 1140/1350 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 95% | 48% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $65,800 | $41,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 57% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $279 |
Diversity |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 1% | 3% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 54% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 24% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 8% | 5% | ||
| % International | 11% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 6% |
Students |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 10% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 75% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Swarthmore | VWC | ||
| 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
- Virginia Wesleyan College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,711 students vs. 1,644 students)
Swarthmore vs. VWC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or VWC?
- Swarthmore College is 72.2% more expensive to attend than VWC for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $36,010.00)
- Out of state tuition is 72.2% higher at Swarthmore than Virginia Wesleyan College ($61,992.00 vs. $36,010.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than VWC ($17,930 vs. $21,862)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Wesleyan College are 64.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($11,513 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Wesleyan College than Swarthmore College (100% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 111.5% larger than aid received Virginia Wesleyan College ($62,084 vs. $29,360)
Swarthmore vs. VWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Swarthmore or VWC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VWC or Swarthmore .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 449 points higher than at VWC (982)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at VWC (22)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at VWC (3.39)
- VWC has a higher acceptance rate (71.3%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Swarthmore vs. VWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Swarthmore or VWC? 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 VWC and Swarthmore.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Virginia Wesleyan College (95% vs. 48%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $24,100 more per year than VWC graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $41,700)
- Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VWC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $27,000)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $78 less per month on federal student loans than VWC graduates. ($201 vs. $279)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VWC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/