The New School vs. Swarthmore

Comparable Facts

Compare The New School in New York, NY with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

The New School is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (9,068 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• The New School is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• The New School is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: The New School 9:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

The New School vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, The New School 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 The New School ($22,469 vs. $67,224).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 19.8% lower than at The New School ($20,308 vs. $25,337).
• Swarthmore College is 11.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than The New School (about $6,800 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $58,694.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.6% higher at Swarthmore than at The New School (about $6,800 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $58,694.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at The New School than at Swarthmore College (94% vs. 57%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 178% larger than aid received by The New School students ($61,634 vs. $22,174).

The New School vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, The New School 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 The New School.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 280 points higher than at The New School (1250).
• Incoming Swarthmore students have a 6 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 28 at The New School).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The New School 1140/1360; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: The New School 26/30; Swarthmore College 33/35.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: The New School - Test-free; Swarthmore - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at The New School (3.59).
• The New School has a higher acceptance rate (63.5%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.3% at The New School vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

The New School vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for The New School 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 The New School's (61%).
• Graduates from Swarthmore College earn a median of about $13,100 more per year than The New School graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,800 vs. $52,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Swarthmore College graduates have a $4,372 lower median loan debt than The New School graduates ($19,500 vs. $23,872).
• Among borrowers, Swarthmore graduates have an estimated $45 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than The New School graduates ($201 vs. $246).
• More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The New School students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 65%)

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.