Swarthmore vs. WCU

Should I go to Swarthmore College or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Swarthmore or WCU 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 Temple Williams Vassar Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Millersville University of Pennsylvania Pomona Cornell Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Swarthmore College vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Swarthmore College West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Swarthmore College West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Swarthmore WCU
Location Swarthmore, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,644 17,076
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Swarthmore WCU
Tuition (In State) $61,992 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $61,992 $19,290
Room & Board $18,964 $12,474
Avg Net Price $17,930 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $62,084 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 53% 70%

Admission

 Swarthmore WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,287 16,467
Admitted 992 13,042
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 79.2%
Enrolled % 41.8% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 33/34 24/28
SAT Range 1460/1560 1100/1270
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 WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Swarthmore WCU
Graduation Rate 95% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $242

Diversity

 Swarthmore WCU
% Men 0% 5%
% Women 1% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 78%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 3%
% International 11% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Swarthmore WCU
% In-State 10% 87%
% Out-of-State 75% 13%

Campus

 Swarthmore WCU
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 1,644 students)

Swarthmore vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or WCU?

  • Swarthmore College is 703.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 221.4% higher at Swarthmore than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($61,992.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than WCU ($17,930 vs. $21,684)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 52% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($12,474 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Swarthmore College (70% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 1,028.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($62,084 vs. $5,503)

Swarthmore vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 359 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (95% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $16,800 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $49,000)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($201 vs. $242)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 75%)

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