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Swarthmore by the Numbers

students walking past Clothier Hall
Overview
Founded Founded in 1864 as a coeducational college by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Character Private, nonsectarian, liberal arts with engineering
Mission Swarthmore seeks to help its students realize their full intellectual and personal potential combined with a deep sense of ethical and social concern.
Campus 425 acres, comprising the Scott Arboretum, featuring rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails
Location Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia
Member Tri-College Consortium with Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, and cross-registration with the University of Pennsylvania 
The Academic Experience
Academic programs Swarthmore offers more than 40 courses of study, and provides the opportunity for students to design their own major. More than 600 courses are offered on campus each year.
Honors A cohort of students chooses to pursue their degree through the College's Honors Program, unique in the U.S., which emphasizes independent learning in small seminar classes and culminates with oral and written tests given by external examiners who are experts in their field.
Number of faculty 173 full-time tenure and tenure-track faculty, 100% of full-time faculty have a terminal degree in their field
Student to faculty ratio 8:1
Students who participate in undergraduate research or independent creative projects 66%; each summer the College commits more than $800,000 in grants to support this work. Opportunities are available in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering divisions, as well as for social action projects.
Student Life
Student Life Information Totals
Residence halls 18
Students who live on campus 95%
Students who volunteer ~ 60%
Varsity sports teams 22
Clubs and organizations 150+
Libraries 7
The Student Body
Enrollment
1,699

 

Swarthmore welcomes and affirms students from all races, religions, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual and gender identities, citizenship statuses, and geographic locations. While we make admissions decisions without regard to race, our holistic admissions process considers individuals' lived experience, and our student body represents people from all walks of life. We are committed to building and sustaining a campus environment that is safe for all students, faculty, and staff members.

 

 

High School Distribution of Students

High School Type Percentage of Admitted Class of 2027
Independent 25%
International 11%
Parochial 10%
Public and/or charter 65%, inc. 7% rural
Home school <1%
Affiliated with community-based organizations 32%
Schools abroad 11%
Geographic Distribution of Students
Geographic Location Percentage of Total Student Body
International 16%
Midwest 8%
Middle Atlantic 33%
Mountain States 2%
New England 7%
Southeast 12%
Southwest 6%
West 16%
U.S. Territories <1%
Racial and Ethnic Identity of Students
Racial and Ethnic Identity Percentage of Total Student Body
American Indian/Native Alaskan < 1%
Asian  18%
Black or African American 9%
Hispanic 14%
International students 16%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander < 1%
Race and ethnicity unknown/unreported 3%
Two or more races 10%
White 32%
Enrollment Information for Fall 2023
Enrollment Information Totals
Number of applicants 14,287
Number of students admitted 969
Number of students enrolled 454
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and Fees Cost
Tuition $61,992
Room $9,578
Board $9,386
Student activity fee $420
Total $81,376

Financial Aid

Admission and financial aid decisions for U.S. citizens and permanent residents are made independently at Swarthmore. Financial aid awards meet the determined need for admitted students, without loans.

Financial Aid
Financial Aid Amount
Students receiving need-based aid from the College 52%
Range of financial aid awards $1,000 - $81,376
Average aid award (campus job and scholarship combined) $66,405
Outcomes
Outcome Percentage of Student Body
Students who plan to enter the workforce upon graduation 68%^
Students who plan to enter graduate school within 5 years of graduation 20.9%^
Student & graduate applicants who are admitted to medical school 79%
Student & graduate applicants who are admitted to law school 87%
Graduates who complete a doctoral program 22.1% (3rd highest in the nation)
College Finances (For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022)
College Finance Amount
Total operating expenses $208.8 million
 
Sources of revenue 39% student fees
57% endowment
6% other
Market value of endowment $2.9 billion
Endowment per student 11th in the U.S.°

^ Self-reported survey data from the Class of 2022

°  2021, National Center for Education Statistics

All numbers reflect information for the current academic year unless otherwise noted. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research & Assessment is a source for further statistical information and survey data about Swarthmore College.