Swarthmore College is the more selective of the two, admitting 7.5% of applicants versus 12.0% at Washington University in St. Louis. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $9,890 per year at Swarthmore College versus $13,324 at Washington University in St. Louis. Swarthmore College's yield rate is 43.6%, versus 47.0% at Washington University in St. Louis.
| Metric | Swarthmore College | Washington University in St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate | 7.5% | 12.0% |
| Early acceptance rate | 17.8% | 25.3% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1480–1550 | 1490–1550 |
| Avg unweighted GPA | 3.9 | 3.95 |
| Yield rate | 43.6% | 47.0% |
| Class size | 426 | 1,963 |
| Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income | $9,890 | $13,324 |
| Net price, over $110,000 income | $42,345 | $44,941 |
Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2025–26 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.
Yes. Swarthmore College admits 7.5% of applicants, compared with 12.0% at Washington University in St. Louis, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.
For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $9,890 per year at Swarthmore College and $13,324 at Washington University in St. Louis, so Swarthmore College is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).
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