NC State vs. Swarthmore

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

NC State Swarthmore
Location Raleigh, NC Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 37,323 1,644
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #118 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $29,407 $61,992
Room & Board $13,719 $18,964
Avg Net Price $14,860 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $11,811 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 53%

Admission

NC State Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,049 14,287
Admitted 15,958 992
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 6.9%
Enrolled % 35.9% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 28/32 33/34
SAT Range 1300/1460 1460/1560
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, 2025 Jan 4, 2025

Academics

NC State Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

NC State Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 72% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $214 $201

Diversity

NC State Swarthmore
% Men 14% 0%
% Women 13% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 74% 42%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

NC State Swarthmore
% In-State 85% 10%
% Out-of-State 13% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (37,323 students vs. 1,644 students)

NC State vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 848.6% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.8% higher at Swarthmore than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($61,992.00 vs. $29,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Swarthmore ($14,860 vs. $17,930)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 38.2% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,719 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (53% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 425.6% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($62,084 vs. $11,811)

NC State vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 167 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

NC State vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NC State 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 NC State.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (95% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $8,600 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $57,200)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $1,282 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,782)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($201 vs. $214)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State 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/