by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending Swarthmore College, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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Published attendance costs at Swarthmore College amounts to about $80,014.00 a year.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $65,494.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,520.00 |
| Total cost | $80,014.00 |
| That is 144% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $80,014.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$60,954.00 |
| Net price | $19,060.00 |
| That is 42% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $80,014.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$76,413.00 |
| Net price | $3,601.00 |
| That is 89% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see the tuition & fees page and room and board. |
Published costs have climbed year over year by around 5.3% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. The tables below project the cost forward across a full degree, side by side for a low-income student with aid, a typical student with average aid, and a student paying full sticker price with no aid. The loan rows amortise the projected total over a ten-year, 6.8% repayment.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Freshman year | $3,793.00 | $20,075.00 | $84,274.00 |
| Senior year | $4,431.00 | $23,455.00 | $98,465.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $16,426.00 | $86,943.00 | $364,989.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $6,258.00 | $33,122.00 | $139,048.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $189.00 | $1,001.00 | $4,200.00 |
| Total amount paid | $22,684.00 | $120,066.00 | $504,036.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% |
| Freshman year | $3,793.00 | $20,075.00 | $84,274.00 |
| Senior year | $3,995.00 | $21,144.00 | $88,761.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $7,787.00 | $41,219.00 | $173,036.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $2,967.00 | $15,703.00 | $65,920.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $90.00 | $474.00 | $1,991.00 |
| Total amount paid | $10,754.00 | $56,921.00 | $238,956.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the net price section below.
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. For most students, this is the more useful number than published tuition because it reflects the real out-of-pocket cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $23,149.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $18,686.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. The breakdown below splits average net price across income brackets:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $8,580.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $5,592.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,292.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,977.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $47,429.00 |
For a personalized estimate, try the Swarthmore College Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the financial aid breakdown.
The median graduating debt at Swarthmore College comes to $13,000.00, which federal data classifies as a Low ($10-20k) burden tier.
The percentile breakdown reveals the full debt landscape:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,000.00 |
| 25th | $8,000.00 |
| Median (50th) | $13,000.00 |
| 75th | $26,374.00 |
| 90th | $27,000.00 |
How far apart the 10th and 90th percentiles sit tells you how uneven debt outcomes are.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student loan debt page.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. Below, debt is broken out by low, middle, and high family income:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $7,500.00 |
| Middle income | $9,900.00 |
| High income | $14,811.00 |
Whether your parents attended college is associated with differences in median debt at graduation.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $12,000.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $13,696.00 |
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. Pell vs non-Pell comparisons surface how debt breaks down by need.
The median debt difference between Pell-eligible and non-Pell graduates of Swarthmore College amounts to $-5,256.00.
The federal default-rate classification for Swarthmore College is Low (<5%).
To give some context for these rates, Stafford loans disbursed at Swarthmore College amount to $21,675,732.00 covering 1,672 borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 6 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $17,934.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the veteran aid breakdown.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through Swarthmore College, the questions below are worth your time:
Explore the related pages below for a deeper look at the cost picture:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.