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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, cross-registration with the University of Pennsylvania is also offered
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 198 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 >100
Libraries 7
The Student Body (2019–20)
Total Enrollment Men Women
1667 810 857
High School Distribution of Students
High School Type Percentage of Total Student Body
Independent 25%
International 10%
Parochial 10%
Public and/or charter 65%
Geographic Distribution of Students
Geographic Location Percentage of Total Student Body
International 13%
Midwest 9%
Middle Atlantic 37%
Mountain States 2%
New England 8%
Southeast 10%
Southwest 5%
West 16%
U.S. Territories <1%
Racial and Ethnic Identity of Students
Racial and Ethnic Identity Percentage of Total Student Body
African American 7%
American Indian/Native Alaskan <1%
Asian 16%
Hispanic 12%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander <1%
International Students 23%
Race and ethnicity unknown/unreported 3%
Two or more Races 7%
White 39%
Enrollment Information for the Class of 2023
Enrollment Information Totals
Number of Applicants 11,442
Number of Students Admitted 995
Number of Students Enrolled 415
Tuition and Fees (for 2018–19)
Tuition and Fees Cost
Tuition $54,256
Room $8,252
Board $7,836
Student Activity Fee $400
Total $70,744

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 (2018–19)
Financial Aid Amount
Students Receiving Need-Based Aid From the College 55%
Range of Financial Aid Awards $1,000 - $55,074
Average Aid Award (campus job and scholarship combined) $51,079
Outcomes
Outcome Percentage of Student Body
Students who plan to enter the workforce upon graduation 74%
Students who plan to enter graduate school within 5 years of graduation 19%
Student & graduate applicants who are admitted to medical school 87%
Graduates who complete a doctoral program 22.5% (3rd highest in the nation)
College Finances (For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018)
College Finance Amount
Total operating expenses $169,078,000
 
Sources of Revenue 37% student fees
55% endowment
8% other
Market Value of Endowment $2,115,768,000
Endowment Per Student 16th in the U.S. (FY2017)

The Office of Institutional Research is a source for further statistical information and survey data about Swarthmore College.