Carleton College vs. Swarthmore

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

Carleton College Swarthmore
Location Northfield, MN Swarthmore, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,059 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #39 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website carleton.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carleton College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $62,244 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $62,244 $58,928
Room & Board $15,990 $18,026
Avg Net Price $31,494 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $46,821 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 63%

Admission

Carleton College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,583 14,707
Admitted 1,427 1,019
Acceptance Rate 16.6% 6.9%
Enrolled % 37.3% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 32/35
SAT Range 1430/1550 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 15, 2024 Jan 4, 2024

Academics

Carleton College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Physical Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Carleton College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 93% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,600 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $201

Diversity

Carleton College Swarthmore
% Men 50% 49%
% Women 50% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 42%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 10% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Carleton College Swarthmore
% In-State 17% 10%
% Out-of-State 73% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carleton College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,059 students vs. 1,625 students)

Carleton College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carleton College or Swarthmore?

  • Carleton College is 5.6% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($62,244.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at Carleton College than Swarthmore College ($62,244.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Carleton College ($20,715 vs. $31,494)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carleton College are 12.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,990 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Carleton College (63% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 1.9% larger than aid received Carleton College ($47,703 vs. $46,821)

Carleton College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 31 points higher than at Carleton College (1400)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Carleton College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Carleton College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.9) as students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Carleton College has a higher acceptance rate (16.6%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Carleton College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carleton 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 Carleton College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Carleton College (95% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $200 more per year than Carleton College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $65,600)
  • Swarthmore College and Carleton College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($19,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Swarthmore College and Carleton College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($201 vs. $201)
  • More Carleton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 87%)

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