Maryland vs. Swarthmore

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

Maryland Swarthmore
Location College Park, MD Swarthmore, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 40,813 1,644
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umd.edu swarthmore.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Maryland Swarthmore
Tuition (In State) $9,889 $61,992
Tuition (Out of State) $38,690 $61,992
Room & Board $15,416 $18,964
Avg Net Price $15,833 $17,930
Avg Grant Aid $12,142 $62,084
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 53%

Admission

Maryland Swarthmore
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 59,377 14,287
Admitted 26,625 992
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 6.9%
Enrolled % 23.3% 41.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 33/34
SAT Range 1370/1520 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 4, 2025

Academics

Maryland Swarthmore
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • English and Literature (7%)

Outcomes

Maryland Swarthmore
Graduation Rate 82% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,300 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $201

Diversity

Maryland Swarthmore
% Men 13% 0%
% Women 12% 1%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 52% 42%
% Black 13% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Maryland Swarthmore
% In-State 69% 10%
% Out-of-State 29% 75%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland College Park is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (40,813 students vs. 1,644 students)

Maryland vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Maryland or Swarthmore?

  • Swarthmore College is 526.9% more expensive to attend than Maryland for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $9,889.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.2% higher at Swarthmore than University of Maryland College Park ($61,992.00 vs. $38,690.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland College Park than Swarthmore ($15,833 vs. $17,930)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland College Park are 23% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($15,416 vs. $18,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Swarthmore College than University of Maryland College Park (53% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 411.3% larger than aid received University of Maryland College Park ($62,084 vs. $12,142)

Maryland vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 116 points higher than at Maryland (1315)
  • Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Maryland (3.84)
  • Maryland has a higher acceptance rate (44.8%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)

Maryland vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Maryland 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 Maryland.

  • The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than University of Maryland College Park (95% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland College Park earn on average $2,500 more per year than Swarthmore graduates after ten years. ($68,300 vs. $65,800)
  • Swarthmore College and Maryland graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($19,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Swarthmore College and Maryland graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($201 vs. $201)
  • More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Maryland students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 80%)

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