Admission & test scores

Swarthmore College SAT scores and acceptance rate

Admitted students scored 1490–1560 on the SAT, with an ACT midpoint of 34. Swarthmore College admits 7% of applicants — highly selective. 94% of first-year students return for a second year.

SAT range1490–1560middle half of admits
ACT midpoint34admitted students
Acceptance rate7%highly selective
First-year retention94%return for year two

Reading the score band These are the scores admitted students had — not a cut-off.

25th percentile
1490
Average
1534
75th percentile
1560

A quarter of admitted students scored below 1490 and a quarter above 1560. Being under the lower figure does not rule you out — it means the rest of the application has to carry more weight — and being above the upper one does not secure a place at a selective university. This intake sits inside a student body of about 1,613.

Universities with similar scores Useful for building a realistic application list.

UniversityAvg SATACTAcceptanceIn-state tuition
Dartmouth College Hanover, New Hampshire 1534 34 5% $68,268
Yale University New Haven, Connecticut 1534 34 4% $67,250
Pomona College Claremont, California 1534 34 7% $65,420
Amherst College Amherst, Massachusetts 1533 33 9% $70,480
Cornell University Ithaca, New York 1535 34 9% $69,314
Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois 1533 35 8% $68,322

Getting in is the first question, not the last

Admission data says nothing about what the degree costs or returns. Before accepting an offer, read the net price for your family's income and the earnings of previous graduates — a place at a selective university financed with heavy borrowing can be a worse outcome than a place at a less selective one that costs little.

Swarthmore College admission: common questions

What SAT score do you need for Swarthmore College?
The middle half of admitted students scored between 1490 and 1560 on the SAT, with an average of 1534. A score inside that band is competitive; below it you would be relying on the rest of the application.
What ACT score does Swarthmore College require?
The ACT midpoint of admitted students is 34.
How hard is it to get into Swarthmore College?
Swarthmore College admits 7% of applicants, which is highly selective. Of those who enrol, 94% return for a second year.
Does Swarthmore College require SAT or ACT scores?
This page reports what admitted students scored, not what the university requires. Many US universities went test-optional and have not returned to a requirement — always check the admissions page before deciding to skip a test.
What it costs Student loan record Debt vs graduate salary Highest SAT universities Highest acceptance rates SAT & ACT preparation

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — SAT/ACT scores of admitted students, acceptance rate and first-year retention as most recently published. Scores describe past intakes and are not an entry requirement.