UMass vs. Swarthmore

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

 UMass Swarthmore
Location Amherst, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 32,229 1,625
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #176 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umass.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $16,186 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $37,405 $58,928
Room & Board $14,123 $18,026
Avg Net Price $22,291 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $12,350 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 63%

Admission

 UMass Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 45,451 14,707
Admitted 28,871 1,019
Acceptance Rate 63.5% 6.9%
Enrolled % 19.4% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.99 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/33 32/35
SAT Range 1260/1480 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 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

 UMass Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 UMass Swarthmore
% Men 49% 49%
% Women 51% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 42%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 3%

Students

 UMass Swarthmore
% In-State 65% 10%
% Out-of-State 24% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (32,229 students vs. 1,625 students)

UMass vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 264.1% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $16,186.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.5% higher at Swarthmore than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($58,928.00 vs. $37,405.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than UMass ($20,715 vs. $22,291)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 27.6% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,123 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Swarthmore College (85% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 286.3% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($47,703 vs. $12,350)

UMass vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 205 points higher than at UMass (1226)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at UMass (28)
  • 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 (63.5%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

UMass vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass 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 UMass.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (95% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,600 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $55,200)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($19,500 vs. $24,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans 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/