Swarthmore acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Swarthmore College · Private nonprofit · Swarthmore, PA · 1,644 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Swarthmore admitted 6.9% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 14.3% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $69,226 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 14.3% | 6,615 | 947 |
| 2014 | 17.0% | 5,540 | 943 |
| 2015 | 12.5% | 7,818 | 976 |
| 2016 | 12.8% | 7,717 | 988 |
| 2017 | 10.7% | 9,382 | 1,004 |
| 2018 | 9.5% | 10,749 | 1,020 |
| 2019 | 8.9% | 11,442 | 1,022 |
| 2020 | 9.1% | 11,630 | 1,054 |
| 2021 | 7.8% | 13,012 | 1,013 |
| 2022 | 6.9% | 14,707 | 1,019 |
| 2023 | 6.9% | 14,287 | 992 |
Applications went from 6,615 in fall 2013 to 14,287 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $6,966 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,978 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,171 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,741 |
| Over $110,000 | $50,329 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $69,226 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $88,696 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $17,392 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 40% submitted the SAT, 14% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| UPenn PA | 5.9% | $71,236 same for all |
| Carnegie Mellon PA | 11.4% | $68,776 same for all |
| Villanova PA | 25.1% | $70,826 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Swarthmore College, a private nonprofit in Pennsylvania, admitted 992 of its 14,287 applicants for fall 2023, an admit rate of 6.9%.1 The rate was 14.3% in fall 2013, so it has gone down by 7.4 percentage points, with declines in 6 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Its highest point was 17.0% in 2014 and the rate has been 6.9% in both 2022 and 2023.1 The applicant pool grew 116% from 6,615 to 14,287, yet admitted students grew only 5%, from 947 to 992.1
Swarthmore does not require test scores. SAT scores came from 40% of enrolled students and ACT scores from 14%.1 Students in the middle of the enrolled group scored 720 to 770 in SAT reading and writing and 740 to 790 in math, while ACT composites fell between 33 and 34.1
The single price for 2025-26 is $69,226 in tuition and fees, above the $43,696 median across 77 private nonprofit colleges in Pennsylvania.2 Aid lowers the bill a great deal for most families. The average net price in 2024-25 was $6,966 for incomes of $0 to $30,000 and $18,171 for $48,001 to $75,000, against $50,329 over $110,000.2
Of the entering class of 2019, 92% finished within 6 years, compared with a Pennsylvania median of 60%.2 Swarthmore's first-year retention rate was 94%, and 24% of its undergraduates received Pell grants.2 Graduates had median earnings of $86,311 10 years after entry, ahead of the $68,228 state median, and borrowers had median debt of $15,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 14,287 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 992 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 415 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 1,644 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 720 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 740 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 790 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 33 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 40% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 14% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $69,226 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $88,696 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $17,392 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $6,966 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,978 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,171 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,741 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $50,329 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 92% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 94% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 24% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $86,311 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $15,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Pennsylvania (N = 77) | $43,696 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Pennsylvania (N = 115) | 60% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Pennsylvania (N = 113) | $68,228 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Swarthmore, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page