Chestnut Hill College (CHC) vs Swarthmore
Chestnut Hill College and Swarthmore College, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. Chestnut Hill, a private Catholic college, boasts a 90% acceptance rate, while Swarthmore, a private liberal arts college, has a highly selective 11% acceptance rate. Chestnut Hill's popular majors include nursing, business, and education, while Swarthmore's strengths lie in engineering, social sciences, and humanities. Chestnut Hill's student body is predominantly female (65%), while Swarthmore's is more evenly balanced (52% female, 48% male). Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, with Chestnut Hill at 80% and Swarthmore at 94%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two esteemed institutions and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
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![]() Chestnut Hill College |
![]() Swarthmore College |
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Overview |
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Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania |
Campus setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 68.0% | 95.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Catholic | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 97.9% | 7.8% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$35
Graduate:
$55
|
$60 |
SAT range | 900 - 1090 | 1430 - 1560 |
ACT range | N/A | 33 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 3.0% | 39.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 21.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 1,197 | 13,012 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,172 | 1,013 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 198 | 454 |
Yield rate | 16.9% | 44.8% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $62,008 | $75,793 |
Average net price | $26,658 | $19,733 |
Tuition | $37,950 | $55,856 |
Room & board | $11,000 |
Room/dormitory:
$8,796
Meal plan:
$8,354
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
98.0%
Average amount $28,263 |
76.0%
Average amount $40,072 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
88.0%
Average amount $5,438 |
6.0%
Average amount $5,191 |
Students taking out private loans |
8.0%
Average amount $15,009 |
1.0%
Average amount $30,543 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
1,072
Men 40.3% Women 59.7% |
1,651
Men 49.7% Women 50.3% |
Graduate students |
433
Men 22.6% Women 77.4% |
N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | 89.9% |
International students | 1.4% | 15.4% |
Campus local/setting | City: Large | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 470 | 1,605 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | New York California Pennsylvania New Jersey Texas |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 9:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 62.6% | 94.1% |
Dropout rate | 13.6% | 5.7% |
Transferred out | 22.8% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
Human Services, General (Master's Degrees)
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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