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USD UCSD Haverford College UC Riverside Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach Amherst UCSC San Francisco State UCSB Penn State| Drexel University | San Diego State University | Swarthmore College | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
| Location | Philadelphia, PA | San Diego, CA | Swarthmore, PA | |
| Setting | Large City | Large City | Large Suburban | |
| Enrollment | 21,703 | 39,241 | 1,644 | |
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #109 | #337 | #41 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | drexel.edu | sdsu.edu | swarthmore.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
| Tuition (In State) | $58,293 | $5,742 | $61,992 | |
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,293 | $17,622 | $61,992 | |
| Room & Board | $17,550 | $21,630 | $18,964 | |
| Avg Net Price | $42,342 | $19,500 | $17,930 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $33,654 | $5,459 | $62,084 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 94% | 53% |
Admission |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 40,204 | 82,800 | 14,287 | |
| Admitted | 31,171 | 28,517 | 992 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 77.5% | 34.4% | 6.9% | |
| Enrolled % | 9.2% | 21.6% | 41.8% | |
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | 3.82 | 3.9 | |
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | A- | |
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 27/33 | 22/29 | 33/34 | |
| SAT Range | 1230/1430 | 1090/1300 | 1460/1560 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 | Jan 4, 2026 |
Academics |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 22:1 | 8:1 | |
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Outcomes |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 66% | 95% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $77,400 | $53,400 | $65,800 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 77% | 65% | 87% | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,243 | $15,349 | $19,500 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $271 | $158 | $201 |
Diversity |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 5% | 0% | |
| % Women | 23% | 8% | 1% | |
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | Very High | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 54% | 34% | 42% | |
| % Black | 7% | 4% | 6% | |
| % Hispanic | 6% | 31% | 13% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 7% | 8% | |
| % International | 13% | 6% | 11% | |
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 48% | 75% | 10% | |
| % Out-of-State | 44% | 23% | 75% | |
Campus |
Drexel | San Diego State | Swarthmore | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | Yes | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | No | |
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | No | |
| Learn More | Details | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than Drexel based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 21,703 students)
Drexel vs. San Diego State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Drexel or San Diego State?
- Drexel University is 915.2% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($58,293.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 230.8% higher at Drexel than San Diego State University ($58,293.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than Drexel ($19,500 vs. $42,342)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drexel University are 23.2% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($17,550 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Drexel University than San Diego State University (99% vs. 94%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Drexel University students is 516.5% larger than aid received San Diego State University ($33,654 vs. $5,459)
Drexel vs. San Diego State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Drexel or San Diego State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between San Diego State or Drexel .
- The average SAT score at Drexel University (1214) is 84 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming Drexel students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at San Diego State (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Drexel (3.67)
- Drexel has a higher acceptance rate (77.5%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
Drexel vs. San Diego State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Drexel or San Diego State? 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 San Diego State and Drexel.
- The graduation rate at Drexel is higher than San Diego State University (68% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from Drexel University earn on average $24,000 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($77,400 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $10,894 lower median federal student loan debt than Drexel graduates. ($15,349 vs. $26,243)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $113 less per month on federal student loans than Drexel graduates. ($158 vs. $271)
- More Drexel graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/