Caltech vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to California Institute of Technology or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Caltech 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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California Institute of Technology vs. Swarthmore College comparison
California Institute of Technology Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
California Institute of Technology Swarthmore College
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Overview

Caltech Swarthmore
Location Pasadena, CA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,401 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #5 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caltech.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Caltech Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $58,479 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $58,479 $58,928
Room & Board $18,606 $18,026
Avg Net Price $20,755 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $59,192 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 63%

Admission

Caltech Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,626 14,707
Admitted 448 1,019
Acceptance Rate 2.7% 6.9%
Enrolled % 50% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 35/36 32/35
SAT Range 1530/1580 1440/1560
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 3, 2024 Jan 4, 2024

Academics

Caltech Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Physical Sciences (25%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Mathematics (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Caltech Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 87% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $85,800 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments - 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,350 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $148 $201

Diversity

Caltech Swarthmore
% Men 61% 49%
% Women 39% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 27% 42%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Caltech Swarthmore
% In-State 29% 10%
% Out-of-State 58% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California Institute of Technology is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,401 students vs. 1,625 students)

Caltech vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caltech or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 0.8% more expensive to attend than Caltech for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at Swarthmore than California Institute of Technology ($58,928.00 vs. $58,479.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Caltech ($20,715 vs. $20,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 3.2% lower than costs at California Institute of Technology ($18,026 vs. $18,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than California Institute of Technology (63% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California Institute of Technology students is 24.1% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($59,192 vs. $47,703)

Caltech vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at California Institute of Technology (1544) is 113 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Caltech students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (35) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Caltech students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Caltech (2.7%)

Caltech vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caltech 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 Caltech.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than California Institute of Technology (95% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from California Institute of Technology earn on average $20,000 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($85,800 vs. $65,800)
  • California Institute of Technology students graduate with a $5,150 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($14,350 vs. $19,500)
  • Caltech graduates are paying $53 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($148 vs. $201)

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