Wartburg College vs Swarthmore
Wartburg College and Swarthmore College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Wartburg, a private liberal arts college in Waverly, Iowa, boasts a 98% acceptance rate, while Swarthmore, a private liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, has a highly selective 11% acceptance rate. Wartburg's student body is predominantly White (91%) and female (58%), while Swarthmore's student body is more diverse, with 53% White, 15% Asian, 10% Black or African American, and 10% Hispanic or Latino students. Both colleges offer a wide range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors at Wartburg including Business Administration, Elementary Education, and Nursing, and popular majors at Swarthmore including Engineering, Economics, and Political Science. With graduation rates of 68% and 93% respectively, Wartburg and Swarthmore provide students
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![]() Swarthmore College |
![]() Wartburg College |
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Overview |
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Location | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania | Waverly, Iowa |
Campus setting | Suburb: Large | Town: Distant |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | 4-1-4 |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 95.0% | 74.0% |
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Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Evangelical | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 7.8% | 82.8% |
Application fees | $60 | |
SAT range | 1430 - 1560 | 973 - 1198 |
ACT range | 33 - 35 | 20 - 26 |
Students submitting SAT score | 39.0% | 8.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 21.0% | 49.0% |
Total number of applicants | 13,012 | 4,024 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,013 | 3,330 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 454 | 413 |
Yield rate | 44.8% | 12.4% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Not required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $75,793 | $59,890 |
Average net price | $19,733 | $23,022 |
Tuition | $55,856 | $45,200 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,796
Meal plan:
$8,354
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Room/dormitory:
$5,730
Meal plan:
$4,260
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
76.0%
Average amount $40,072 |
95.0%
Average amount $34,498 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
6.0%
Average amount $5,191 |
72.0%
Average amount $5,442 |
Students taking out private loans |
1.0%
Average amount $30,543 |
13.0%
Average amount $14,049 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,651
Men 49.7% Women 50.3% |
1,516
Men 47.9% Women 52.1% |
Graduate students | N/A |
25
Men 28.0% Women 72.0% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
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Very Low
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Out-of-state students | 89.9% | 27.7% |
International students | 15.4% | 6.1% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Town: Distant |
Dormitory capacity | 1,605 | 1,409 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | Yes | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | New York California Pennsylvania New Jersey Texas | Iowa Illinois Minnesota Wisconsin Colorado |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 8:1 | 14:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 94.1% | 69.9% |
Dropout rate | 5.7% | 29.8% |
Transferred out | N/A | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
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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Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
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