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Economic score
Swarthmore College is a private liberal arts college located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Swarthmore College is extremely selective in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at Swarthmore College is in the top 5% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $72,637 10 years after enrolling, 10th in Pennsylvania, and in the top 10% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Swarthmore College bachelor students earn 32% more than the national average. Swarthmore College is ranked 3rd in Pennsylvania.
Swarthmore College’s median net annual cost of $20,813 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at Swarthmore College sorted by number of graduates - Economics, Biology, Computer and Information Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Education, Other - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$20,813
Average years to graduate
4.2
Poli Sci/Government
Rank: #164
Economic score: 4.19
The average student at Swarthmore College takes 4.2 years to graduate, with 94% graduating within 8 years. The graduation rate at Swarthmore College is 28% more than the state average and 26% more than the average for all liberal arts colleges in the country.
At Swarthmore College, Pell Grant recipients represent 22% of the measured graduating class, 13% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Swarthmore College graduates within 4.2 years.
Swarthmore College is in the top 50% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Swarthmore College’s economic mobility score of 21.39 is calculated by adjusting the 0.4 economic score of lower-income students by the 22% pell grant recipients within the student body. Swarthmore College’s EMS of 21.39 ranks in the top 50% nationally.
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 50%
The average Title IV recipient at Swarthmore College pays $20,813 a year, $52,876 less than the $73,689 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $20,813
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Swarthmore College, 76% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $20,813 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 7% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $9,904. This is 47% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,191
Pell grants
$4,842
State grants
$2,059
Institutional grants
$51,790
Swarthmore College's extremely selective admissions are indicated by their 8% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 13,012 applicants, of which 1,013 were admitted and 454 enrolled. Swarthmore College doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
100%
83%
Female
55%
59%
First time
97%
59%
In-state
12%
68%
1st generation
27%
35%
White
33%
52%
Black
8%
14%
Hispanic
13%
15%
Asian
18%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
28%
12%