Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA

MH Honor Roll

7.5%

Acceptance Rate

$65,494

Avg Cost (In-State)

$65,494

Avg Cost (Out-of-State)

93.2%

Graduation Rate

1,613

Total Enrollment

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Popular programs

EngineeringEconomicsPolitical ScienceBiologyPhysicsMathematicsPhilosophy

Application requirements

Regular Deadline

January 15

Early Deadline

November 15 (Early Decision I) and January 1 (Early Decision II)

Common App

Yes

Test Policy

Test Optional

Essays Required

Letters of Rec

Interview

Available

Essays: Common App personal essay plus one Swarthmore-specific supplemental essay (150-250 words)

Note: Interview strongly recommended but not required; school report and counselor recommendation required

Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.

Getting there

From:

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Graduate outcomes

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

$56,211

Median Earnings at 6 Years

median graduate salary 6 years after starting

$80,257

Median Earnings at 10 Years

median graduate salary 10 years after starting

93%

4-Year Graduation Rate

students completing degree within 4 years

Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.

Earnings by major

Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.

Program	Median earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Graduates
Economics.	$76,944	$128,051	43
Computer and Information Sciences, General.	$103,686	$150,942	28
Biology, General.	$41,122	$57,754	25
Mathematics.	$72,656	—	18
Political Science and Government.	$40,449	$58,372	17
Engineering, General.	—	$78,519	—

Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.

What current students say

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What will you actually pay?

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Tactics that apply here

Things you can do that most families don't know about.

Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools

~$15k value

At many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.

Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.

How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.

Source ↗

File FAFSA the day it opens

~$5k value

Most schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.

Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.

How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.

Source ↗

CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA

Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.

Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.

How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.

Source ↗

Scholarships