How strong are the academics at Swarthmore College?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
8:1
Student to faculty ratio
17
Average class size
76%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
Swarthmore has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
10-19
2-9
136
10-19
164
20-29
60
30-39
42
40-49
8
50-99
8
100+
1
Honors Programs
Swarthmore College has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Swarthmore College:
97%
First-year retention rate
76%
4-year grad rate
94%
6-year grad rate
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Swarthmore College's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Economics, General
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Engineering, General
Mathematics, General
Political Science and Government, General
23.2
30.16
37.12
44.08
51.04
58
The Full List
MajorGraduates
Area
Asian Studies/Civilization2
African-American/Black Studies2
Women's Studies1
African Studies0
American/United States Studies/Civilization0
Latin American Studies0
Near and Middle Eastern Studies0
Russian Studies0
French Studies0
German Studies0
Area Studies, Other0
American Indian/Native American Studies0
Folklore Studies0
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
Neuroscience18
Biology/Biological Sciences, General14
Biochemistry9
Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other2
Biophysics0
Biometry/Biometrics0
Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other0
Communication
Mass Communication/Media Studies0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
Computer and Information Sciences, General46
Education
Education, General13
Education, Other12
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Other0
Engineering
Engineering, General33
English Language And Literature/Letters
English Language and Literature, General10
Literature, Other0
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other0
Foreign Languages
Linguistics4
Chinese Language and Literature2
Russian Language and Literature2
Japanese Language and Literature1
Spanish Language and Literature1
Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature1
Comparative Literature0
French Language and Literature0
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics0
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General0
Latin Language and Literature0
Health Professions And Related Programs
Public Health, Other0
History
History, General5
History, Other0
Liberal Arts And Sciences
General Studies0
Mathematics And Statistics
Mathematics, General30
Applied Mathematics, Other0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology5
Cognitive Science, General5
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution2
International/Globalization Studies2
MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES0
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General0
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General0
Biological and Physical Sciences0
Mathematics and Computer Science0
Medieval and Renaissance Studies0
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis0
Sustainability Studies0
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other0
Natural Resources And Conservation
Environmental Studies10
Philosophy And Religious Studies
Philosophy8
Religion/Religious Studies3
Jewish/Judaic Studies1
Islamic Studies0
Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other0
Physical Sciences
Physics, General9
Chemistry, General7
Astrophysics4
Astronomy1
Geophysics and Seismology1
Chemical Physics0
Geology/Earth Science, General0
Physical Sciences, Other0
Psychology
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other15
Psychology, General0
Behavioral Neuroscience0
Social Psychology0
Psychology, Other0
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
Public Policy Analysis, General0
Health Policy Analysis0
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other0
Social Sciences
Economics, General58
Political Science and Government, General29
Sociology and Anthropology13
Medical Anthropology4
Social Sciences, Other2
Political Science and Government, Other1
Social Sciences, General0
Anthropology, Other0
Archeology0
Criminology0
Development Economics and International Development0
International Relations and Affairs0
Sociology, General0
Urban Studies/Affairs0
Visual And Performing Arts
Fine/Studio Arts, General8
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General4
Music, General4
Art History, Criticism and Conservation2
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other2
Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other1
Dance, General0
Industrial and Product Design0
Film/Cinema/Media Studies0
Art/Art Studies, General0
Musicology and Ethnomusicology0
Music, Other0
Visual and Performing Arts, Other0
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