UD vs. Swarthmore

Deciding between University of Delaware 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.

University of Delaware
Swarthmore College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UD Newark, DE
  • Swarthmore Swarthmore, PA
  • Setting
  • UD Large Suburban
  • Swarthmore Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • UD 24,412
  • Swarthmore 1,623
  • Type
  • UD Public 4 Year
  • Swarthmore Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UD #150
  • Swarthmore #40
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UD -
  • Swarthmore -
  • Status
  • UD Non-profit
  • Swarthmore Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UD
  • Swarthmore

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UD $16,810
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UD $41,400
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Room & Board
  • UD $15,386
  • Swarthmore $20,308
  • Average Net Price
  • UD $19,139
  • Swarthmore $22,469
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UD $13,302
  • Swarthmore $61,634
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UD 91%
  • Swarthmore 57%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UD 39,995
  • Swarthmore 13,065
  • Admitted
  • UD 28,238
  • Swarthmore 975
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UD 70.6%
  • Swarthmore 7.5%
  • Enrolled
  • UD 15.7%
  • Swarthmore 43.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UD 1280
  • Swarthmore 1530
  • Typical ACT score
  • UD 30
  • Swarthmore 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • UD 3.94
  • Swarthmore 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UD A
  • Swarthmore A
  • Admissions Standards
  • UD Very High
  • Swarthmore Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • UD Low
  • Swarthmore Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • UD 28/32
  • Swarthmore 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • UD 1190/1370
  • Swarthmore 1490/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UD Test optional
  • Swarthmore Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UD Jan 15, 2027
  • Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UD 16:1
  • Swarthmore 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UD
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • Swarthmore
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UD 78%
  • Swarthmore 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UD $61,300
  • Swarthmore $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UD 80%
  • Swarthmore 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UD $24,203
  • Swarthmore $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UD $250
  • Swarthmore $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UD 41%
  • Swarthmore 48%
  • % Women
  • UD 59%
  • Swarthmore 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UD Low
  • Swarthmore Very High
  • HBCU
  • UD No
  • Swarthmore No
  • % White
  • UD 74%
  • Swarthmore 42%
  • % Asian
  • UD 5%
  • Swarthmore 17%
  • % Black
  • UD 6%
  • Swarthmore 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • UD 8%
  • Swarthmore 13%
  • % Native American
  • UD 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UD 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UD 3%
  • Swarthmore 8%
  • % International
  • UD 4%
  • Swarthmore 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UD 1%
  • Swarthmore 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UD 39%
  • Swarthmore 10%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UD 59%
  • Swarthmore 77%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Delaware in Newark, DE with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Delaware is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (24,412 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Delaware is located in Newark, DE (Large Suburban setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • University of Delaware is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Delaware 16:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

UD vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UD 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 University of Delaware than Swarthmore ($19,139 vs. $22,469).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Delaware are 24.2% lower than at Swarthmore College ($15,386 vs. $20,308).
  • Swarthmore College is 289.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than UD (about $48,684 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $16,810.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 58.2% higher at Swarthmore than at University of Delaware (about $24,094 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $41,400.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Delaware than at Swarthmore College (91% vs. 57%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 363.3% larger than aid received by University of Delaware students ($61,634 vs. $13,302).

UD vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UD 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 UD.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 250 points higher than at UD (1280).
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 30 at UD).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 1190/1370; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 28/32; Swarthmore College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UD - Test optional; Swarthmore - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UD Jan 15, 2027; Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UD students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Swarthmore (3.9).
  • UD has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.7% at UD vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

UD vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UD 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 University of Delaware's (78%).
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn a median of about $4,500 more per year than UD graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,800 vs. $61,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Swarthmore College graduates have a $4,703 lower median loan debt than UD graduates ($19,500 vs. $24,203).
  • Among borrowers, Swarthmore graduates have an estimated $49 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UD graduates ($201 vs. $250).
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UD 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.