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Swarthmore, PA
Swarthmore College is a highly esteemed liberal arts college located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, just 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Founded in 1864, it is one of the oldest and most selective institutions in the United States. With a reputation for academic excellence, Swarthmore consistently ranks among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation.
The college offers a rigorous curriculum with over 40 majors across various disciplines, ranging from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences and engineering. What sets Swarthmore apart is its commitment to high-impact learning experiences, such as undergraduate research, internships, and study abroad programs. These opportunities allow students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Swarthmore's campus is known for being picturesque, with its beautiful architecture blending traditional and modern elements. The college provides a tight-knit community of approximately 1,600 undergraduate students, creating an intimate learning environment with a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1. The college is renowned for its vibrant and intellectually stimulating atmosphere, driven by the diverse student body and distinguished faculty members who are leaders in their fields. With a strong emphasis on social responsibility and ethical leadership, Swarthmore College prepares students to make meaningful contributions to society and pursue successful careers across various professions and industries.
Swarthmore College is a private four-year college located in Swarthmore, PA and set in a suburban environment. This school follows a semester-based calendar. Given an acceptance rate of merely 6%, admissions is consider very competative. The freshman retention rate at Swarthmore College is 97.2% and the six-year graduation rate is 94%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is January 4. The transfer application deadline is April 1.
Here are some essential information on important things to consider about Swarthmore College.
Quick Facts
1,644
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$65,058
Tuition
8:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
94%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to find out as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the university in order to maximize your chances of being accepted. Check out some important data about admission at Swarthmore College.
According to the newest data, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 992 in 2024. Swarthmore College has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores for the candidates who choose to submit them.
Test Scores
Out of the number of students who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 40% and ACT scores 14%. 97% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600 and 3% between 1,200 and 1,399. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 100 and 4 between 24-29.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 737 for the enrolled first-year students, while the average SAT Math score was 752.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by January 4. For transfer students, the application deadline is April 1.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. That information can tell you if the majority of freshmen liked their first year enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for Swarthmore College was 97.2% in 2024, which is an excellent retention rate only the most prestigious institutions achieve.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It provides valuable insight into the percentage of students who complete their studies within a designated timeframe. At this school, the rate of students graduating within six years is 94%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
Making the decision of which school is the optimal fit for you is not simple. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by learning more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2024, the school enrolled 1,644 students.
That year, the school had 87% of out-of-state students. There was a total of 1,644 undergrad students, including 231 international students. The school admitted a total of 15 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 794 male and 847 female full-time students in 2024, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution.
Student Population Diversity
Higer Education is committed to focusing on the diversity of its student body and improving students' sense of inclusion and belonging. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 286 Asian students and 153 Afro-American students in 2024. 246 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 180 as multirace. The school also had 1 student who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 7 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 43 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to think about before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Swarthmore College.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition fees for this university.
Tuition in 2024 was $65,058 for full-time domestic students. Swarthmore College is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Full-time students in 2024 had to pay additional fees in the amount of $436.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The approximate cost of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $760.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for room and board?
In 2024, the price of room and board at Swarthmore College was $20,308 per academic year. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school totaled $10,478, according to the data from 2024.
| Tuition | $ 65,058 |
| Room and Board | $ 20,308 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 760 |
| Total Expense | $ 86,126 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial support for students. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Swarthmore College, here are some recent data you should consider.
The most recent records show that 232 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students reached $66,335.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
There were 848 students who secured need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Swarthmore College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 848. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution stood at $2,046,607, and state $377,035. The students of Swarthmore College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $51,197,950, and external in the amount of $882,034.
$57,618
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $1,846,006. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $752,139 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
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Fall Transfer
Fall Transfer
ApplyStart Year: 2025
Start Term: Fall
Application Deadline: 2025-04-01
Majors
Faculty
8:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
In 2024, this ratio at Swarthmore College was 8:1. That means that there were 8 times more students than teachers at this school. This school has recently reported to have 220 faculty members. Out of that number, there were 111 men and 109 women.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Check out some info about social life at Swarthmore College.
Its campus is 425 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
There are 150 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. The student organization that has the biggest membership is FLI (First Gen/Low Income), followed by Mixed Company (a cappella group) and Multi (community for people who self-identify as multiracial, multiethnic, multicultural, and/or multireligious). Other popular organizations at Swarthmore College are Rhythm N Motion (performing dance styles of the African Diaspora) and Boy Meets Tractor (sketch comedy troupe).
If you're interested in acting, you have the option to join a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Swarthmore College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Swarthmore College, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are 24-hour emergency phone and alarm devices. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Swarthmore College.
All in all, campus life at Swarthmore College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Swarthmore College.
Career Counselling
At Swarthmore College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career.
FAQ
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Swarthmore College is located in Swarthmore, PA.
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Swarthmore College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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The overall full-time tuition per academic year for Swarthmore College is 65,058 USD, based on the most recent data.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Swarthmore College is 6%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Swarthmore College is 97.2%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.