Syracuse vs. Swarthmore

Deciding between Syracuse University and Swarthmore College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Syracuse University
Swarthmore College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Syracuse Syracuse, NY
  • Swarthmore Swarthmore, PA
  • Setting
  • Syracuse Midsize City
  • Swarthmore Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Syracuse 22,589
  • Swarthmore 1,623
  • Type
  • Syracuse Private 4 Year
  • Swarthmore Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Syracuse #158
  • Swarthmore #40
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Syracuse -
  • Swarthmore -
  • Status
  • Syracuse Non-profit
  • Swarthmore Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Syracuse
  • Swarthmore

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Room & Board
  • Syracuse $19,188
  • Swarthmore $20,308
  • Average Net Price
  • Syracuse $48,215
  • Swarthmore $22,469
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Syracuse $36,417
  • Swarthmore $61,634
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Syracuse 76%
  • Swarthmore 57%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Syracuse 44,480
  • Swarthmore 13,065
  • Admitted
  • Syracuse 20,427
  • Swarthmore 975
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Syracuse 45.9%
  • Swarthmore 7.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Syracuse 18.8%
  • Swarthmore 43.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Syracuse 1360
  • Swarthmore 1530
  • Typical ACT score
  • Syracuse 30
  • Swarthmore 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • Syracuse 3.69
  • Swarthmore 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Syracuse A-
  • Swarthmore A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Syracuse Very High
  • Swarthmore Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Syracuse Low
  • Swarthmore Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Syracuse 29/32
  • Swarthmore 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • Syracuse 1270/1440
  • Swarthmore 1490/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Syracuse Test optional
  • Swarthmore Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Syracuse Jan 1, 2027
  • Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Syracuse 15:1
  • Swarthmore 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Syracuse
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (17%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • Swarthmore
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Swarthmore 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Syracuse $65,900
  • Swarthmore $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Swarthmore 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Syracuse $27,000
  • Swarthmore $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Syracuse $279
  • Swarthmore $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Syracuse 44%
  • Swarthmore 48%
  • % Women
  • Syracuse 56%
  • Swarthmore 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Syracuse High
  • Swarthmore Very High
  • HBCU
  • Syracuse No
  • Swarthmore No
  • % White
  • Syracuse 55%
  • Swarthmore 42%
  • % Asian
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Swarthmore 17%
  • % Black
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Swarthmore 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Syracuse 11%
  • Swarthmore 13%
  • % Native American
  • Syracuse 1%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Syracuse 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Syracuse 3%
  • Swarthmore 8%
  • % International
  • Syracuse 12%
  • Swarthmore 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Syracuse 2%
  • Swarthmore 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Syracuse 31%
  • Swarthmore 10%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Syracuse 63%
  • Swarthmore 77%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Syracuse No
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Swarthmore Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Swarthmore No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Swarthmore No

Comparable Facts

Compare Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Syracuse University is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (22,589 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, NY (Midsize City setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Syracuse University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Syracuse University 15:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

Syracuse vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Swarthmore? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Syracuse ($22,469 vs. $48,215).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Syracuse University are 5.5% lower than at Swarthmore College ($19,188 vs. $20,308).
  • Syracuse University is 0.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Swarthmore (about $34 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $65,494.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.1% higher at Syracuse than at Swarthmore College (about $34 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $65,494.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Syracuse University than at Swarthmore College (76% vs. 57%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 69.2% larger than aid received by Syracuse University students ($61,634 vs. $36,417).

Syracuse vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Syracuse or Swarthmore? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Swarthmore and Syracuse.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 170 points higher than at Syracuse (1360).
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at Syracuse).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 1270/1440; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 29/32; Swarthmore College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Syracuse - Test optional; Swarthmore - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Syracuse Jan 1, 2027; Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Syracuse (3.69).
  • Syracuse has a higher acceptance rate (45.9%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.8% at Syracuse vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

Syracuse vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Syracuse and Swarthmore? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Swarthmore College's six-year graduation rate (95%) is higher than Syracuse University's (80%).
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn a median of about $100 more per year than Swarthmore graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,900 vs. $65,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Swarthmore College graduates have a $7,500 lower median loan debt than Syracuse graduates ($19,500 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Swarthmore graduates have an estimated $78 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Syracuse graduates ($201 vs. $279).
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.