Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania · Private · 1,613 undergraduates · swarthmore.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
7.5%
of 12,995 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1480 to 1550
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$100,780Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Swarthmore College
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
7.5% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 7.5% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$100,780
a year in 2027-28, from a $100,780 sticker price
What to do with your 1520
Send your score
About 48% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1410, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- AP and IB exam scores may optionally be submitted (official IB score required for IB Diploma graduates)
Source: Standardized Testing Policy :: Admissions & Aid :: Swarthmore College · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov15Early Decision · November 15, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan4Early Decision II · January 4, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan4Regular Decision · January 4, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
7.5%
of applicants were admitted: 977 of 12,995 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 18% of early applicants were admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 40% of them sent SAT scores and 15% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1480 to 1550
Reading and Writing 740 to 770
Math 740 to 790
ACT composite 33 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160096%
- 1200 to 13994.1%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$100,780
a year
- Tuition$74,380
- Fees$500
- Food and housing$23,220
- Books and supplies$850
- Transportation and other$1,830
Swarthmore College published $93,172 for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $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
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$74,043
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
0.2%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: 1/4
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: 1/4
- The last day to send aid forms.
- Also asks for
- Federal tax return and W-2 statements
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
24 of 28
Earn credit with a score of 3
None
You need a 4 or 5 for credit here.
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,440Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| African American Studies | 4 | 1 | |
| Art History | 5 | 1 | |
| Biology | 5 | 1 | |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 1 | MATH 015 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 2 | MATH 015, 025 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 1 | MATH 015 |
| Chemistry | 5 | ||
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 5 | 1 | |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 1 | |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 1 | |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 1 | |
| Environmental Science | 5 | 1 | |
| European History | 4 | 1 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | ECON 001 | |
| Microeconomics | 5 | ECON 001 | |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 1 | |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 1 | |
| Psychology | 5 | ||
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 1 | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 1 | |
| Statistics | 4 | 1 | STAT 011 |
| United States Government and Politics | 5 | 1 | |
| United States History | 4 | 1 | |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 1 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
92%
Come back for a second year
94%
Typical earnings
$86,311
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Swarthmore College$171,529
- All colleges$98,966
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 4 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Swarthmore College. The Swarthmore College logo is a trademark of the college.