Amherst vs. Swarthmore

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

Amherst Swarthmore
Location Amherst, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $58,928
Room & Board $16,750 $18,026
Avg Net Price $21,367 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 63%

Admission

Amherst Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 14,707
Admitted 1,079 1,019
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 6.9%
Enrolled % 43.3% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 32/35
SAT Range 1420/1550 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 2, 2024 Jan 4, 2024

Academics

Amherst Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Amherst Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 96% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $201

Diversity

Amherst Swarthmore
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 42%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Amherst Swarthmore
% In-State 13% 10%
% Out-of-State 74% 75%

Campus

Amherst 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

  • Amherst College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 1,625 students)

Amherst vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Swarthmore?

  • Amherst College is 7.8% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Amherst than Swarthmore College ($63,500.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Amherst ($20,715 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 7.6% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,750 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Amherst College (63% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 23% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($58,693 vs. $47,703)

Amherst vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 20 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Amherst has a higher acceptance rate (7.3%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Amherst vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst 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 Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Swarthmore College (96% vs. 95%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $16,200 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $65,800)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $6,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($12,975 vs. $19,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($134 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Amherst students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 83%)

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