UMBC vs. Swarthmore

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

UMBC Swarthmore
Location Baltimore, MD Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,991 1,625
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UMBC Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $58,928
Room & Board $13,378 $18,026
Avg Net Price $17,692 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 63%

Admission

UMBC Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 14,707
Admitted 9,291 1,019
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 23.1% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 23/29 32/35
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

UMBC Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

UMBC Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 57% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $201

Diversity

UMBC Swarthmore
% Men 53% 49%
% Women 47% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 42%
% Black 17% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

UMBC Swarthmore
% In-State 90% 10%
% Out-of-State 5% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (13,991 students vs. 1,625 students)

UMBC vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 550.7% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 128.2% higher at Swarthmore than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($58,928.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Swarthmore ($17,692 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 34.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,378 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Swarthmore College (92% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 436.7% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($47,703 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 222 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

UMBC vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (95% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $6,300 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $59,500)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $1,697 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,197)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($201 vs. $219)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 67%)

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