Swarthmore College
Academics
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.
Learn more about honors options on Swarthmore's website.
Outcomes
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
Mathematics, General
18.2
27.56
36.92
46.28
55.64
65
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Area
- Women's Studies 3
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies 2
- African-American/Black Studies 2
- Asian Studies/Civilization 1
- French Studies 1
- African-American/Black Studies 1
- African Studies 0
- American/United States Studies/Civilization 0
- Asian Studies/Civilization 0
- Latin American Studies 0
- Russian Studies 0
- French Studies 0
- German Studies 0
- Area Studies, Other 0
- Folklore Studies 0
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 22
- Neuroscience 14
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 8
- Biochemistry 8
- Biochemistry 1
- Neuroscience 1
- Biophysics 0
- Biometry/Biometrics 0
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other 0
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other 0
Communication
- Mass Communication/Media Studies 0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Computer and Information Sciences, General 33
- Computer and Information Sciences, General 21
Education
- Education, Other 19
- Education, General 6
- Education, General 4
- Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Other 0
Engineering
- Engineering, General 28
English Language And Literature/Letters
- English Language and Literature, General 17
- English Language and Literature, General 2
- Literature, Other 0
- English Language and Literature/Letters, Other 0
Foreign Languages
- Linguistics 3
- Linguistics 3
- Spanish Language and Literature 3
- Spanish Language and Literature 3
- Chinese Language and Literature 2
- French Language and Literature 2
- Comparative Literature 1
- Japanese Language and Literature 1
- Russian Language and Literature 1
- French Language and Literature 1
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
- Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature 1
- Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature 1
- Latin Language and Literature 1
- Latin Language and Literature 1
- Comparative Literature 0
- Russian Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Public Health, Other 1
History
- History, General 16
- History, General 7
- History, Other 0
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- General Studies 0
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematics, General 27
- Mathematics, General 26
- Applied Mathematics, Other 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 14
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 8
- Cognitive Science, General 5
- International/Globalization Studies 1
- Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology 1
- Cognitive Science, General 1
- Sustainability Studies 1
- MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 0
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
- Biological and Physical Sciences 0
- Mathematics and Computer Science 0
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies 0
- Classical, Ancient Mediterranean, and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology 0
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis 0
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Environmental Studies 12
- Environmental Studies 2
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Philosophy 10
- Religion/Religious Studies 2
- Philosophy 1
- Islamic Studies 0
- Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
- Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other 0
Physical Sciences
- Astrophysics 11
- Chemistry, General 7
- Physics, General 7
- Chemical Physics 1
- Physics, General 1
- Astronomy 0
- Geology/Earth Science, General 0
- Geophysics and Seismology 0
- Physical Sciences, Other 0
Psychology
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 15
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 5
- Social Psychology 1
- Psychology, General 0
- Behavioral Neuroscience 0
- Social Psychology 0
- Psychology, Other 0
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
- Public Policy Analysis, General 0
- Health Policy Analysis 0
- Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other 0
Social Sciences
- Economics, General 65
- Political Science and Government, General 19
- Political Science and Government, General 15
- Economics, General 14
- Sociology and Anthropology 10
- Medical Anthropology 3
- Social Sciences, Other 3
- Medical Anthropology 2
- Archeology 1
- Development Economics and International Development 1
- Political Science and Government, Other 1
- Political Science and Government, Other 1
- Social Sciences, General 0
- Anthropology, Other 0
- Development Economics and International Development 0
- International Relations and Affairs 0
- Sociology, General 0
- Urban Studies/Affairs 0
Visual And Performing Arts
- Fine/Studio Arts, General 6
- Fine/Studio Arts, General 4
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other 3
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 3
- Music, General 3
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 2
- Dance, General 1
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other 1
- Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 1
- Music, General 1
- Musicology and Ethnomusicology 1
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other 1
- Dance, General 0
- Industrial and Product Design 0
- Film/Cinema/Media Studies 0
- Art/Art Studies, General 0
- Music, Other 0
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