Swarthmore vs. Rice

Should I go to Swarthmore College or Rice University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Swarthmore or Rice 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Haverford College Vanderbilt UT Austin Duke Amherst WUSTL Williams Emory Baylor Vassar Johns Hopkins SMU
Swarthmore College vs. Rice University comparison
Swarthmore College Rice University College 3 College 4
Swarthmore College Rice University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Swarthmore Rice
Location Swarthmore, PA Houston, TX
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,625 8,672
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #40 #9
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swarthmore.edu rice.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Swarthmore Rice
Tuition (In State) $58,928 $54,100
Tuition (Out of State) $58,928 $54,100
Room & Board $18,026 $15,000
Avg Net Price $20,715 $19,902
Avg Grant Aid $47,703 $51,955
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 56%

Admission

Swarthmore Rice
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,707 31,443
Admitted 1,019 2,730
Acceptance Rate 6.9% 8.7%
Enrolled % 42.5% 44.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 34/36
SAT Range 1440/1560 1490/1570
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 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Swarthmore Rice
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Swarthmore Rice
Graduation Rate 95% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $86,400
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $10,227
Median Loan Payment $201 $105

Diversity

Swarthmore Rice
% Men 49% 57%
% Women 51% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 37%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 14%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 4%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Swarthmore Rice
% In-State 10% 36%
% Out-of-State 75% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rice University is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (8,672 students vs. 1,625 students)

Swarthmore vs. Rice Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Swarthmore or Rice?

  • Swarthmore College is 8.9% more expensive to attend than Rice for in-state tuition ($58,928.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.9% higher at Swarthmore than Rice University ($58,928.00 vs. $54,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rice University than Swarthmore ($19,902 vs. $20,715)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rice University are 20.2% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,000 vs. $18,026)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than Rice University (63% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rice University students is 8.9% larger than aid received Swarthmore College ($51,955 vs. $47,703)

Swarthmore vs. Rice Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Rice University (1482) is 51 points higher than at Swarthmore (1431)
  • Incoming Rice students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Swarthmore (32)
  • Accepted freshman Rice students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Swarthmore (3.9)
  • Rice has a higher acceptance rate (8.7%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Swarthmore vs. Rice Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Rice University (95% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Rice University earn on average $20,600 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($86,400 vs. $65,800)
  • Rice University students graduate with a $9,273 lower median federal student loan debt than Swarthmore graduates. ($10,227 vs. $19,500)
  • Rice graduates are paying $96 less per month on federal student loans than Swarthmore graduates. ($105 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rice 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/