Swarthmore College tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Swarthmore College is $84,103 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $23,149 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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What your family pays
$23,149 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $84,103. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$65,494
Housing & meals$18,964
Books & supplies$760
Personal & travel$1,967
Living-at-home adjustment−$3,082
Total cost of attendance$84,103

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$13,000
Loan default rate0.7%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out16%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants19%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$60,954Sticker price minus average net price

State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant

College Scorecard

Swarthmore College net price compared with other Pennsylvania colleges

Swarthmore College has the 56th-lowest average net price of 114 Pennsylvania colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
52Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine$22,58526%$63,435
53Allegheny College$22,94073%$62,069
54Robert Morris University$23,00366%$62,105
55King's College$23,09360%$59,498
56Swarthmore College$23,14992%$80,257
57Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg$23,33026%$63,435
58West Chester University of Pennsylvania$23,33171%$61,258
59Marywood University$23,38872%$55,817
60Saint Vincent College$23,51069%$59,982

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Pennsylvania colleges →

Why Swarthmore College costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Swarthmore College7%$23,14992%$80,257This school
Haverford College12%$25,31490%$79,966
Curtis Institute of Music5%—96%—
Franklin and Marshall College28%$36,42584%$76,124
Bryn Mawr College29%$31,75982%$75,217

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

Swarthmore College would cost you $2,165 less per year than Haverford College, on average.

  • Lower sticker price at Swarthmore College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$5,194).
  • Haverford College gives aided families $4,114 more in grants, on average.
Per year, Pennsylvania residentSwarthmore CollegeHaverford CollegeDifference
Tuition & fees$65,494$70,688−$5,194
Books & supplies$760$1,240−$480
Housing & meals$18,964$18,880+$84
Personal & travel$1,967$1,962+$5
Living-at-home adjustment−$3,082−$2,388−$694
Sticker price$84,103$90,382−$6,279
Average grants−$60,954−$65,068+$4,114
You pay$23,149$25,314−$2,165

“+” means Swarthmore College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Swarthmore College cost questions

How much is tuition at Swarthmore College?

Tuition and fees are $65,494 a year.

What is the total cost of attending Swarthmore College?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $84,103 a year.

What do families actually pay at Swarthmore College?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $23,149 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $7,690; $48–75k pay $11,444; $110k+ pay $47,544.

How much debt do Swarthmore College graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $13,000, and 0.7% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Swarthmore College the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Swarthmore College overview