Wheaton College vs. Swarthmore

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

Wheaton College Swarthmore
Location Norton, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,778 1,644
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #177 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheatoncollege.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $61,600 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $61,600 $61,992
Room & Board $15,430 $18,964
Avg Net Price $31,638 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $45,217 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 53%

Admission

Wheaton College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,702 14,287
Admitted 3,354 992
Acceptance Rate 71.3% 6.9%
Enrolled % 15.6% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.9
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/33 33/34
SAT Range 1210/1420 1460/1560
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

Wheaton College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Ethnic Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 77% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $201

Diversity

Wheaton College Swarthmore
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 8%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Wheaton College Swarthmore
% In-State 38% 10%
% Out-of-State 57% 75%

Campus

Wheaton 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

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,778 students vs. 1,644 students)

Wheaton College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 0.6% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $61,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at Swarthmore than Wheaton College ($61,992.00 vs. $61,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Wheaton College ($17,930 vs. $31,638)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 22.9% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,430 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Swarthmore College (96% vs. 53%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 37.3% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($62,084 vs. $45,217)

Wheaton College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Wheaton College (3.48)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (71.3%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Wheaton College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Wheaton College (95% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $12,100 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $53,700)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wheaton College students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)

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