UMass vs. Swarthmore

Deciding between University of Massachusetts Amherst 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 Massachusetts Amherst
Swarthmore College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • UMass Amherst, MA
  • Swarthmore Swarthmore, PA
  • Setting
  • UMass Town Fringe
  • Swarthmore Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • UMass 31,726
  • Swarthmore 1,623
  • Type
  • UMass Public 4 Year
  • Swarthmore Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UMass #169
  • Swarthmore #40
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UMass -
  • Swarthmore -
  • Status
  • UMass Non-profit
  • Swarthmore Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UMass
  • Swarthmore

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UMass $17,772
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UMass $40,449
  • Swarthmore $65,494
  • Room & Board
  • UMass $16,710
  • Swarthmore $20,308
  • Average Net Price
  • UMass $22,948
  • Swarthmore $22,469
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UMass $13,110
  • Swarthmore $61,634
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UMass 81%
  • Swarthmore 57%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UMass 50,261
  • Swarthmore 13,065
  • Admitted
  • UMass 30,020
  • Swarthmore 975
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UMass 59.7%
  • Swarthmore 7.5%
  • Enrolled
  • UMass 17.9%
  • Swarthmore 43.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UMass 1410
  • Swarthmore 1530
  • Typical ACT score
  • UMass 31
  • Swarthmore 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • UMass 3.99
  • Swarthmore 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UMass A
  • Swarthmore A
  • Admissions Standards
  • UMass Exceptional
  • Swarthmore Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • UMass Low
  • Swarthmore Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • UMass 30/33
  • Swarthmore 33/35
  • SAT Range
  • UMass 1310/1500
  • Swarthmore 1490/1560
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UMass Test optional
  • Swarthmore Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UMass Jan 15, 2027
  • Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UMass 17:1
  • Swarthmore 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UMass
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Psychology (9%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Communication (7%)
  • Swarthmore
    • Social Sciences (29%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • English and Literature (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UMass 67%
  • Swarthmore 95%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UMass $55,200
  • Swarthmore $65,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UMass 76%
  • Swarthmore 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UMass $24,000
  • Swarthmore $19,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UMass $248
  • Swarthmore $201

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UMass 48%
  • Swarthmore 48%
  • % Women
  • UMass 52%
  • Swarthmore 52%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UMass Medium
  • Swarthmore Very High
  • HBCU
  • UMass No
  • Swarthmore No
  • % White
  • UMass 67%
  • Swarthmore 42%
  • % Asian
  • UMass 9%
  • Swarthmore 17%
  • % Black
  • UMass 4%
  • Swarthmore 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • UMass 5%
  • Swarthmore 13%
  • % Native American
  • UMass 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UMass 0%
  • Swarthmore 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UMass 3%
  • Swarthmore 8%
  • % International
  • UMass 4%
  • Swarthmore 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UMass 8%
  • Swarthmore 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UMass 69%
  • Swarthmore 10%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UMass 22%
  • Swarthmore 77%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA with Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (31,726 students vs. 1,623 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Amherst, MA (Town Fringe setting); Swarthmore College is in Swarthmore, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Swarthmore College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Massachusetts Amherst 17:1; Swarthmore College 7:1.

UMass vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass 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 Swarthmore College than UMass ($22,469 vs. $22,948).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 17.7% lower than at Swarthmore College ($16,710 vs. $20,308).
  • Swarthmore College is 268.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UMass (about $47,722 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $17,772.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 61.9% higher at Swarthmore than at University of Massachusetts Amherst (about $25,045 more per year; $65,494.00 vs. $40,449.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than at Swarthmore College (81% vs. 57%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 370.1% larger than aid received by University of Massachusetts Amherst students ($61,634 vs. $13,110).

UMass vs. Swarthmore Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UMass 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 UMass.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Swarthmore College (1530) is 120 points higher than at UMass (1410).
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 31 at UMass).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 1310/1500; Swarthmore College 1490/1560.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Massachusetts Amherst 30/33; Swarthmore College 33/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UMass - Test optional; Swarthmore - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UMass Jan 15, 2027; Swarthmore Jan 4, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Swarthmore (3.9).
  • UMass has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Swarthmore (7.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.9% at UMass vs. 43.8% at Swarthmore.

UMass vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UMass 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 Massachusetts Amherst's (67%).
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn a median of about $10,600 more per year than UMass graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,800 vs. $55,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Swarthmore College graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than UMass graduates ($19,500 vs. $24,000).
  • Among borrowers, Swarthmore graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UMass graduates ($201 vs. $248).
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMass students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

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.