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Haverford College Maryland TU Amherst Williams Vassar Mason UD Penn State Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona| University of Maryland Baltimore County | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UMBC | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 14,148 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #263 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | umbc.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UMBC | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,238 | $61,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,594 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,204 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,704 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,956 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 53% |
Admission |
UMBC | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,150 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 9,762 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.2% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 23/30 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1460/1560 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 4, 2026 |
Academics |
UMBC | Swarthmore | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 8:1 | ||
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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 | 14% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 1% | ||
| 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 | 85% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 6% | 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 (14,148 students vs. 1,644 students)
UMBC vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 571.1% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $9,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 133.1% higher at Swarthmore than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($61,992.00 vs. $26,594.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Swarthmore ($17,704 vs. $17,930)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 33.5% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,204 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Swarthmore College (87% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 523.6% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($62,084 vs. $9,956)
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 (74.2%) 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/