Grinnell vs. Swarthmore

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

Grinnell Swarthmore
Location Grinnell, IA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,759 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #55 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website grinnell.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Grinnell Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $60,988 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $60,988 $58,928
Room & Board $15,048 $18,026
Avg Net Price $33,467 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $42,231 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 63%

Admission

Grinnell Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,997 14,707
Admitted 1,076 1,019
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 6.9%
Enrolled % 40.6% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 31/34 32/35
SAT Range 1380/1530 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

Grinnell Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • History (8%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Grinnell Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 88% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,170 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $136 $201

Diversity

Grinnell Swarthmore
% Men 47% 49%
% Women 53% 51%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Grinnell Swarthmore
% In-State 7% 10%
% Out-of-State 72% 75%

Campus

Grinnell 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

  • Grinnell College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (1,759 students vs. 1,625 students)

Grinnell vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grinnell or Swarthmore?

  • Grinnell College is 3.5% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($60,988.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.5% higher at Grinnell than Swarthmore College ($60,988.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Grinnell ($20,715 vs. $33,467)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grinnell College are 19.8% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,048 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Grinnell College than Swarthmore College (91% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 13% larger than aid received Grinnell College ($47,703 vs. $42,231)

Grinnell vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 29 points higher than at Grinnell (1402)
  • Incoming Grinnell students have at the same average ACT score (32) as students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Grinnell (3.89)
  • Grinnell has a higher acceptance rate (10.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Grinnell vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Grinnell 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 Grinnell.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Grinnell College (95% vs. 88%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $6,300 more per year than Grinnell graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $59,500)
  • Grinnell College students graduate with a $6,330 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($13,170 vs. $19,500)
  • Grinnell graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($136 vs. $201)
  • More Grinnell 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/