Amherst vs Swarthmore
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Amherst CollegeAmherst, MACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 2%A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 2%
At a glance
- For families earning up to $30,000, Amherst has the lower price after aid: $1,086 a year, against $7,690 at Swarthmore.
- Median debt is lower at Amherst: $13,740, against $17,500 at Swarthmore.
Scores
Compass Score
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 2%
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 2%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 2%
Value
AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 8%
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 15%
The college
Category
Liberal arts colleges
Liberal arts colleges
Location
Amherst, MA
Swarthmore, PA
Setting
City
Suburb
Students
1,910
1,644
Sports
NCAA Division III · New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA Division III · Centennial Conference
Admission
Admission rate
9%
7%
Average SAT
1533
1534
ACT middle 50%
33–35
33–35
Outcomes
Graduation rate
94%
92%
First-year retention
97%
94%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$77,644
$80,257
Median debt
$13,740
$17,500
Cost
Average price after aid
About $23,000
About $23,000
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
About $1,000
About $8,000
$30,001–$48,000
About $2,000
About $5,000
$48,001–$75,000
About $17,000
About $11,000
$75,001–$110,000
About $24,000
About $22,000
Over $110,000
About $48,000
About $48,000
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $142,680
- Economics $141,730
- Mathematics $124,324
- History $103,601
- Experimental psychology $69,204
- Computing and information science $150,942
- Economics $128,051
- Engineering (general) $78,519
- Political science $58,372
- Biology $57,754
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.