Is CMC or Swarthmore harder to get into?

Swarthmore is harder to get into than CMC. Swarthmore's 7.5% acceptance rate is lower than CMC's 9.6%.

Which is cheaper, CMC or Swarthmore?

Swarthmore costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Swarthmore's average net price is $23,149 vs $28,849 at CMC.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, CMC or Swarthmore?

CMC graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $104,736 at CMC and $80,257 at Swarthmore.

CMC vs. Swarthmore: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	CMC	Swarthmore
Acceptance rate	9.6%	7.5%
SAT mid-50%	1470–1560	1490–1560
ACT mid-50%	33–35	33–35
Cost of attendance	$86,500	$84,103
Avg net price (after aid)	$28,849	$23,149
Undergrad enrollment	1,388	1,613
6-yr graduation rate	91.4%	92.3%
Median earnings (10yr)	$104,736	$80,257
Setting	Claremont, California	Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

The Real Differences

Swarthmore is modestly harder to get into. The 2.1-point gap matters at the margin but doesn't change the overall difficulty tier. Both schools draw similar applicant pools and admit similar profiles.

Swarthmore is significantly cheaper after aid. The average net price gap is $5,700 per year, $22,800 over four years. For most families that difference is the deciding factor when both schools admit you.

CMC graduates earn $24,479 more on average at the 10-year mark. This usually reflects major distribution more than school quality — schools that concentrate in CS, engineering, and finance pull higher medians than schools with more humanities and social science graduates. Swarthmore grads' earnings within the same major category are typically comparable.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. CMC is in Claremont, California; Swarthmore is in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. CMC is 49.9% women, 14.8% international, and 17.1% Asian-American. Swarthmore is 52.1% women, 13.4% international, and 16.6% Asian-American.

Demographic	CMC	Swarthmore
Women	49.9%	52.1%
International	14.8%	13.4%
White	35.7%	30.3%
Asian	17.1%	16.6%
Hispanic	14.8%	15.5%
Black	4.1%	9.5%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at CMC vs. Swarthmore?

Get a probability for both schools calibrated to your full profile, not the headline rate.

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The Verdict

Pick CMC if

Your odds are realistic at CMC (slightly easier admit)
Higher median post-grad earnings ($104,736 vs $80,257)
the research institutes

Pick Swarthmore if

Net price matters: Swarthmore costs $5,700 less per year on average
Higher 6-year graduation rate
the Honors program modeled on Oxford tutorials

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

Claremont McKenna College

9.6% accept · Claremont, California

Full profile

Swarthmore College

7.5% accept · Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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Claremont McKenna College vs. Swarthmore College