Swarthmore vs. Mason

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

 Swarthmore Mason
Location Swarthmore, PA Fairfax, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,625 39,049
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #40 #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Swarthmore Mason
Tuition (In State) $58,928 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $58,928 $35,377
Room & Board $18,026 $13,120
Avg Net Price $20,715 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $47,703 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 74%

Admission

 Swarthmore Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,707 20,001
Admitted 1,019 18,001
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 90%
Enrolled % 42.5% 23%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 25/31
SAT Range 1440/1560 1140/1350
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 4, 2024 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Swarthmore Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Swarthmore Mason
Graduation Rate 95% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $201 $204

Diversity

 Swarthmore Mason
% Men 49% 48%
% Women 51% 52%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 43%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 13% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 11% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

 Swarthmore Mason
% In-State 10% 77%
% Out-of-State 75% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 1,625 students)

Swarthmore vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Mason?

  • Swarthmore College is 501.6% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.6% higher at Swarthmore than George Mason University ($58,928.00 vs. $35,377.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Swarthmore ($18,479 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 37.4% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,120 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than Swarthmore College (74% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 343.3% larger than aid received George Mason University ($47,703 vs. $10,760)

Swarthmore vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 278 points higher than at Mason (1153)
  • Incoming Swarthmore students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Mason (26)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Mason (3.68)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Swarthmore or Mason? 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 Mason and Swarthmore.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than George Mason University (95% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $3,900 more per year than Mason graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $61,900)
  • Swarthmore College students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than Mason graduates. ($19,500 vs. $19,750)
  • Swarthmore graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Mason graduates. ($201 vs. $204)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mason students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 73%)

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