Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA · Private
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Swarthmore College admitted 7.5% of applicants university-wide (975 of 13,065).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 7.5% | 975 | 13,065 |
| In-state | 20.0% | 200 | 1,000 |
| Out-of-state | 10.0% | 600 | 6,000 |
| International applicants | 6.7% | 100 | 1,500 |
| Early Decision (binding) | 18.0% | 220 | 1,221 |
| Men | 8.1% | 465 | 5,746 |
| Women | 7.0% | 510 | 7,311 |
Early Decision applicants were admitted at 18%, vs 7.5% overall — ED is a binding commitment.
Of 975 admitted students, 427 enrolled (43.8% yield).
Swarthmore College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1490–1560
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 33–35
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.50–3.99
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Swarthmore College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $88,802/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $65,058 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $23,744 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $88,802/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $7,690 |
| $30k–48k | $4,951 |
| $48k–75k | $11,444 |
| $75k–110k | $22,443 |
| Over $110k | $47,544 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Swarthmore College Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Swarthmore Scholarship — Full demonstrated need (Need Based)
International applicants
Meets full demonstrated need for internationals.
- Swarthmore College Grant — Varies (Need Based)
- Swarthmore Scholarship — Full demonstrated need (Need Based)
Swarthmore College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024
Application requirements
US applicants
- Application (Common Application, Coalition on Scoir Application, or QuestBridge Application)
- School Report
- School Counselor Recommendation
- High School Transcript
- Midyear Grades
- Two Academic Teacher Recommendations
- Standardized Test Scores (optional)
- Alumni Interview (optional)
- Video Response (optional)
- Creative Supplements (optional)
- Additional Materials (optional)
- Application fee
International applicants
- Application (Common Application, Coalition on Scoir Application, or QuestBridge Application)
- School Report
- School Counselor Recommendation
- High School Transcript
- Midyear Grades
- Two Academic Teacher Recommendations
- Standardized Test Scores (optional)
- Alumni Interview (optional)
- Video Response (optional)
- Creative Supplements (optional)
- Additional Materials (optional)
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Swarthmore College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 4 college-specific supplements:
- Share a few sentences about your musical background and interests.Optional
- Attach a one-page statement about the process of creating a performance in which you have been involved. Discuss how and why the rehearsal process succeeded and/or failed in fostering a creative and collaborative experience for everyone involved (actors, directors, designers, etc.). If you prefer, you can compare and contrast two projects that you have worked on.Optional
- A one paragraph response describing your dance interests and background.Optional
- How would you express your ideas through movement, melody, costumes, and props?Optional
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $80,257
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 92.3%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 94%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $17,500
- At graduation
Swarthmore College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News Liberal Arts: #4
- WSJ: #24
- Forbes: #23
- Niche: #36
Deadlines
- 2026-11-15Early Decision — Binding early round
- 2027-01-04Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Swarthmore College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C21–C22 · 2024
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Social sciences (22%), Computer & information sciences (15%), Biological & life sciences (10%).
Student–faculty ratio: 7:1 · 71% of class sections have under 20 students.
Swarthmore College Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.