Swarthmore vs Haverford College
Swarthmore College and Haverford College, two prestigious liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania, share a commitment to academic excellence and a vibrant campus culture. However, they also have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Swarthmore boasts a slightly higher acceptance rate (11.4% vs. 10.9%) and a larger student body (1,535 vs. 1,292), while Haverford has a slightly higher graduation rate (93% vs. 92%). Swarthmore's popular majors include engineering, economics, and political science, while Haverford's strengths lie in the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. Both colleges offer a diverse range of extracurricular activities, including sports, clubs, and student government, but Swarthmore has a slightly larger endowment ($2.1 billion vs. $1.3 billion), which may translate to more resources for students. To help you make an informed decision about which college is the right
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![]() Haverford College |
![]() Swarthmore College |
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Overview |
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Location | Haverford, Pennsylvania | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 94.0% | 95.0% |
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Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 17.8% | 7.8% |
Application fees | $65 | $60 |
SAT range | 1420 - 1540 | 1430 - 1560 |
ACT range | 33 - 35 | 33 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 38.0% | 39.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 21.0% | 21.0% |
Total number of applicants | 5,332 | 13,012 |
Total number of admissions given out | 951 | 1,013 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 411 | 454 |
Yield rate | 43.2% | 44.8% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $81,570 | $75,793 |
Average net price | $24,462 | $19,733 |
Tuition | $60,442 | $55,856 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$10,320
Meal plan:
$6,980
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Room/dormitory:
$8,796
Meal plan:
$8,354
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
45.0%
Average amount $53,518 |
76.0%
Average amount $40,072 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
15.0%
Average amount $4,885 |
6.0%
Average amount $5,191 |
Students taking out private loans |
3.0%
Average amount $26,584 |
1.0%
Average amount $30,543 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,420
Men 46.3% Women 53.7% |
1,651
Men 49.7% Women 50.3% |
Graduate students | N/A | N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | N/A | 89.9% |
International students | 10.6% | 15.4% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 1,424 | 1,605 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | New York California Pennsylvania New Jersey Texas |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 90.1% | 94.1% |
Dropout rate | 2.9% | 5.7% |
Transferred out | 6.4% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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