Tufts vs. Swarthmore

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

Tufts Swarthmore
Location Medford, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,431 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #32 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tufts.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Tufts Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $63,804 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $63,804 $58,928
Room & Board $16,778 $18,026
Avg Net Price $30,479 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $51,613 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 39% 63%

Admission

Tufts Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,882 14,707
Admitted 3,381 1,019
Acceptance Rate 9.7% 6.9%
Enrolled % 50.1% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1450/1550 1440/1560
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 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Tufts Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Tufts Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 90% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $83,100 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $186 $201

Diversity

Tufts Swarthmore
% Men 41% 49%
% Women 59% 51%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 42%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Tufts Swarthmore
% In-State 21% 10%
% Out-of-State 65% 75%

Campus

Tufts Swarthmore
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Tufts University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (13,431 students vs. 1,625 students)

Tufts vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tufts or Swarthmore?

  • Tufts University is 8.3% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.3% higher at Tufts than Swarthmore College ($63,804.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Tufts ($20,715 vs. $30,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 7.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,778 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Tufts University (63% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tufts University students is 8.2% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($51,613 vs. $47,703)

Tufts vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 7 points higher than at Tufts (1424)
  • Incoming Tufts students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Tufts students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Tufts has a higher acceptance rate (9.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Tufts vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Tufts University (95% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from Tufts University earn on average $17,300 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $65,800)
  • Tufts University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($18,000 vs. $19,500)
  • Tufts graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($186 vs. $201)
  • More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)

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