Maryland vs. Swarthmore

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

Maryland Swarthmore
Location College Park, MD Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 40,792 1,625
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #95 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umd.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Maryland Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $9,695 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $37,931 $58,928
Room & Board $14,576 $18,026
Avg Net Price $16,210 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $11,232 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 63%

Admission

Maryland Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,761 14,707
Admitted 25,320 1,019
Acceptance Rate 44.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 23.1% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/34 32/35
SAT Range 1360/1520 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 4, 2025

Academics

Maryland Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Maryland Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 82% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,300 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $201

Diversity

Maryland Swarthmore
% Men 51% 49%
% Women 49% 51%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 42%
% Black 13% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Maryland Swarthmore
% In-State 72% 10%
% Out-of-State 26% 75%

Campus

Maryland 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 College Park is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (40,792 students vs. 1,625 students)

Maryland vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maryland or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 507.8% more expensive to attend than Maryland for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $9,695.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.4% higher at Swarthmore than University of Maryland College Park ($58,928.00 vs. $37,931.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland College Park than Swarthmore ($16,210 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland College Park are 23.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,576 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than University of Maryland College Park (63% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 324.7% larger than aid received University of Maryland College Park ($47,703 vs. $11,232)

Maryland vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 116 points higher than at Maryland (1315)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Maryland (3.84)
  • Maryland has a higher acceptance rate (44.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Maryland vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Maryland 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 Maryland.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than University of Maryland College Park (95% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland College Park earn on average $2,500 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($68,300 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College and Maryland graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($19,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Swarthmore College and Maryland graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($201 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Maryland 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/