Quad

Head-to-head

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Swarthmore has 10 pts more first-gen students than Wellesley (27% vs. 17%)

    First-generation students
  2. 2

    Swarthmore is 1.8× more selective than Wellesley

    Acceptance rate
  3. 3

    Wellesley is a bit larger (2,300 vs. 1,613)

    Undergrads
  4. 4

    Wellesley grads earn $4.5K more ten years out than Swarthmore's ($84,803 vs. $80,257)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  5. 5

    Wellesley's yield is 4 pts higher than Swarthmore's

    Yield rate
  6. 6

    Swarthmore costs about $2.5K less per year on average than Wellesley ($49,053 vs. $51,593, all students)

    Average cost, all students

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Who's hardest to get into

Swarthmore admits 7.5%, Wellesley 14%; Wellesley's yield is higher, at 48%.

Acceptance rate
Wellesley14%
Swarthmore7.5%
Quad's selectivity
  • WellesleyHighly selective
  • SwarthmoreHighly selective
SAT middle 50%Axis 1400–1600
Wellesley
1460–1540
Swarthmore
1490–1560
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • WellesleyRigor and GPA very important
  • SwarthmoreSchool record required

Who's on each campus

Wellesley is a bit larger than Swarthmore (2,300 vs. 1,613 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Wellesley2.3K
Swarthmore1.6K
Pell Grant share
Wellesley21%
Swarthmore19%

Majors and faculty

Econometrics and Quantitative Economics leads at Wellesley, and Economics at Swarthmore; both have 7 students per faculty member.

Students per faculty member
Wellesley7 to 1
Swarthmore7 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • WellesleyEconometrics and Quantitative Economics11%
  • SwarthmoreEconomics, General13%

What each costs

Swarthmore costs about $2.5K less a year than Wellesley on average, and its grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Wellesley$51.6K
Swarthmore$49.1K
Aid generosity
Wellesley40%
Swarthmore42%

What each pays off

Wellesley's former students earn more, a median $84.8K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 90% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Wellesley$84.8K
Swarthmore$80.3K
Graduation rate
Wellesley92%
Swarthmore95%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; both got more selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • WellesleyGrowing+85%
  • SwarthmoreGrowing+136%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why