Swarthmore, PA · 1.6k students
Trajecta score
+0.9 since '20Ranked #30 of 2,375
5-year trend
79.3 · #24
2020
81.1 · #16
2021
81.0 · #16
2022
82.7 · #12
2023
80.2 · #25
2024
Academic Profile
95/ 100
Career Outcomes
79/ 100
Student Success
88/ 100
Affordability
64/ 100
Academic Investment
97/ 100
Access & Equity
51/ 100
Academic Profile
95
Career Outcomes
79
Student Success
88
Affordability
64
Academic Investment
97
Access & Equity
51
AI Fit Analysis
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Cost / Net Price
$84k / $23k
SAT Avg
1,534
Retention
94%
Grad Rate
93%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$65,494
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$65,494
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
19%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
11%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$17,500
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Swarthmore College reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Very Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Very Important | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Considered | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Very Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Considered | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Considered | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Considered | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2025-26
school's admissions site ↗Identity and community
Required250 wordsSwarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry. All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities. Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more. What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own.
Intellectual curiosity
Required250 wordsSwarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education. Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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