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Haverford College Pomona Bates Amherst Williams HMC USC Vassar Bryn Mawr Oxy Johns Hopkins Scripps College| Bowdoin College | Swarthmore College | Claremont McKenna College | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
| Location | Brunswick, ME | Swarthmore, PA | Claremont, CA | |
| Setting | Distant Town | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | |
| Enrollment | 1,850 | 1,644 | 1,384 | |
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #26 | #41 | #17 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | bowdoin.edu | swarthmore.edu | claremontmckenna.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
| Tuition (In State) | $64,304 | $61,992 | $63,800 | |
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,304 | $61,992 | $63,800 | |
| Room & Board | $17,690 | $18,964 | $19,650 | |
| Avg Net Price | $23,110 | $17,930 | $29,978 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $57,280 | $62,084 | $52,149 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 53% | 53% |
Admission |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 10,966 | 14,287 | 5,799 | |
| Admitted | 879 | 992 | 645 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 8% | 6.9% | 11.1% | |
| Enrolled % | 57.3% | 41.8% | 49.8% | |
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.9 | 3.89 | |
| Typical High School Grades | - | A- | A- | |
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | Very High | |
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 33/34 | 33/35 | |
| SAT Range | 1480/1550 | 1460/1560 | 1450/1560 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |
| Application Deadline | Jan 5, 2026 | Jan 4, 2026 | Jan 5, 2026 |
Academics |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 | 8:1 | |
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Outcomes |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
| Graduation Rate | 92% | 95% | 91% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $75,000 | $65,800 | $97,800 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 87% | - | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,833 | $19,500 | $14,967 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $194 | $201 | $154 |
Diversity |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Women | 0% | 1% | 0% | |
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | Very High | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 63% | 42% | 42% | |
| % Black | 5% | 6% | 4% | |
| % Hispanic | 12% | 13% | 14% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 8% | 7% | |
| % International | 5% | 11% | 17% | |
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% | 6% |
Students |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 10% | 10% | 36% | |
| % Out-of-State | 81% | 75% | 45% | |
Campus |
Bowdoin College | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | No | |
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | No | |
| Learn More | Details | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Bowdoin College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,850 students vs. 1,644 students)
Bowdoin College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Bowdoin College or Swarthmore?
- Bowdoin College is 3.7% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($64,304.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.7% higher at Bowdoin College than Swarthmore College ($64,304.00 vs. $61,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Bowdoin College ($17,930 vs. $23,110)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowdoin College are 7.2% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($17,690 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Bowdoin College (53% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 8.4% larger than aid received Bowdoin College ($62,084 vs. $57,280)
Bowdoin College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Bowdoin College or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Bowdoin College .
- Bowdoin College has a higher acceptance rate (8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Bowdoin College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Bowdoin 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 Bowdoin College.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Bowdoin College (95% vs. 92%)
- Graduates from Bowdoin College earn on average $9,200 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($75,000 vs. $65,800)
- Bowdoin College students graduate with a $667 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($18,833 vs. $19,500)
- Bowdoin College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($194 vs. $201)
- More Bowdoin College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/