Macalester College vs. Swarthmore

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

Macalester College Swarthmore
Location Saint Paul, MN Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,175 1,625
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #97 #40
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website macalester.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Macalester College Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $62,270 $58,928
Tuition (Out of State) $62,270 $58,928
Room & Board $14,000 $18,026
Avg Net Price $36,095 $20,715
Avg Grant Aid $40,262 $47,703
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 63%

Admission

Macalester College Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,434 14,707
Admitted 2,397 1,019
Acceptance Rate 28.4% 6.9%
Enrolled % 23% 42.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition High Extreme
ACT Range 30/34 32/35
SAT Range 1340/1500 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

Macalester College Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Foreign Languages (10%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Macalester College Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 87% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,100 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,670 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $234 $201

Diversity

Macalester College Swarthmore
% Men 42% 49%
% Women 58% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 42%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 14% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Macalester College Swarthmore
% In-State 18% 10%
% Out-of-State 69% 75%

Campus

Macalester 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

  • Macalester College is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,175 students vs. 1,625 students)

Macalester College vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Swarthmore?

  • Macalester College is 5.7% more expensive to attend than Swarthmore for in-state tuition ($62,270.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at Macalester College than Swarthmore College ($62,270.00 vs. $58,928.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Macalester College ($20,715 vs. $36,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Macalester College are 28.8% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($14,000 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Swarthmore College (89% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 18.5% larger than aid received Macalester College ($47,703 vs. $40,262)

Macalester College vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 73 points higher than at Macalester College (1358)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Macalester College (31)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Macalester College (3.81)
  • Macalester College has a higher acceptance rate (28.4%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Macalester College vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Macalester 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 Macalester College.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Macalester College (95% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $11,700 more per year than Macalester College graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $54,100)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $3,170 lower median federal student loan debt than Macalester College graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,670)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Macalester College graduates. ($201 vs. $234)
  • More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Swarthmore students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 87%)

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