Washington College vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Washington College or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Washington College 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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Washington College vs. Swarthmore College comparison
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Washington College Swarthmore College
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Overview

Washington College Swarthmore
Location Chestertown, MD Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 955 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website washcoll.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Washington College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $50,626 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $50,626 $58,928
Room & Board $13,834 $18,026
Avg Net Price $31,650 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $35,683 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 63%

Admission

Washington College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,554 14,707
Admitted 1,908 1,019
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 6.9%
Enrolled % 12.1% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.71 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 25/29 32/35
SAT Range 1190/1390 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 15, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

Washington College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Business (18%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Washington College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 75% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,800 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $250 $201

Diversity

Washington College Swarthmore
% Men 42% 49%
% Women 58% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 42%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 8%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Washington College Swarthmore
% In-State 44% 10%
% Out-of-State 53% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Swarthmore College is larger than than Washington College based on total student enrollment (1,625 students vs. 955 students)

Washington College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Washington College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 16.4% more expensive to attend than Washington College for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $50,626.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.4% higher at Swarthmore than Washington College ($58,928.00 vs. $50,626.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Washington College ($20,715 vs. $31,650)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington College are 30.3% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,834 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington College than Swarthmore College (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 33.7% larger than aid received Washington College ($47,703 vs. $35,683)

Washington College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Washington College (3.71)
  • Washington College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Washington College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Washington College 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 Washington College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Washington College (95% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $15,000 more per year than Washington College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $50,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Washington College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $24,250)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Washington College graduates. ($201 vs. $250)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Washington College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 85%)

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