Columbia vs. Swarthmore

Should I go to Columbia University in the City of New York or Swarthmore College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia 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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Columbia University in the City of New York vs. Swarthmore College comparison
Columbia University in the City of New York Swarthmore College College 3 College 4
Columbia University in the City of New York Swarthmore College
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Overview

Columbia Swarthmore
Location New York, NY Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 34,782 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $58,928
Room & Board $16,286 $18,026
Avg Net Price $22,058 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 63%

Admission

Columbia Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 14,707
Admitted 2,404 1,019
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 6.9%
Enrolled % 64.1% 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 34/35 32/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 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 1, 2024 Jan 4, 2024

Academics

Columbia Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Columbia Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 93% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $201

Diversity

Columbia Swarthmore
% Men 46% 49%
% Women 54% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 42%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 15% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Columbia Swarthmore
% In-State 19% 10%
% Out-of-State 64% 75%

Campus

Columbia 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

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 1,625 students)

Columbia vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Swarthmore?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 6.2% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.2% higher at Columbia than Swarthmore College ($62,570.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Columbia ($20,715 vs. $22,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 10.7% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($16,286 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Columbia University in the City of New York (63% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 28% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($61,061 vs. $47,703)

Columbia vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 42 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia 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 Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (95% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $41,800 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

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