Harvard vs. Swarthmore

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

Harvard Swarthmore
Location Cambridge, MA Swarthmore, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 30,631 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #40
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $58,928
Room & Board $19,502 $18,026
Avg Net Price $19,491 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 63%

Admission

Harvard Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 14,707
Admitted 1,984 1,019
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 6.9%
Enrolled % 83% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.9
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 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

Harvard Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Harvard Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 97% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $67 $201

Diversity

Harvard Swarthmore
% Men 46% 49%
% Women 54% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 8%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Harvard Swarthmore
% In-State 15% 10%
% Out-of-State 69% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 1,625 students)

Harvard vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 11.9% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.9% higher at Swarthmore than Harvard University ($58,928.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Swarthmore ($19,491 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Swarthmore College are 8.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,026 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Harvard University (63% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 29.6% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($61,801 vs. $47,703)

Harvard vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 66 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Swarthmore has a higher acceptance rate (6.9%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Swarthmore College (97% vs. 95%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $70,900 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $65,800)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $13,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($6,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($67 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 70%)

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