WUSTL vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Washington University in St Louis or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WUSTL 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 University in St Louis vs. Swarthmore College comparison
Washington University in St Louis Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
Washington University in St Louis Swarthmore College
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Overview

WUSTL Swarthmore
Location Saint Louis, MO Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,012 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #20 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wustl.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WUSTL Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $59,420 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $59,420 $58,928
Room & Board $18,470 $18,026
Avg Net Price $23,432 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $58,188 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 63%

Admission

WUSTL Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 32,014 14,707
Admitted 3,764 1,019
Acceptance Rate 11.8% 6.9%
Enrolled % 48.2% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 32/35
SAT Range 1500/1570 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 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

WUSTL Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

WUSTL Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 93% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,800 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,900 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $205 $201

Diversity

WUSTL Swarthmore
% Men 47% 49%
% Women 53% 51%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

WUSTL Swarthmore
% In-State 12% 10%
% Out-of-State 77% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Washington University in St Louis is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (17,012 students vs. 1,625 students)

WUSTL vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WUSTL or Swarthmore?

  • Washington University in St Louis is 0.8% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($59,420.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at WUSTL than Swarthmore College ($59,420.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than WUSTL ($20,715 vs. $23,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 2.5% lower than costs at Washington University in St Louis ($18,026 vs. $18,470)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Washington University in St Louis (63% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 22% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($58,188 vs. $47,703)

WUSTL vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington University in St Louis (1469) is 38 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming WUSTL students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (11.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

WUSTL vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WUSTL 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 WUSTL .

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Washington University in St Louis (95% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Washington University in St Louis earn on average $17,000 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($82,800 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $400 lower median federal student loan debt than WUSTL graduates. ($19,500 vs. $19,900)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than WUSTL graduates. ($201 vs. $205)
  • More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 87%)

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