Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College's program mix is anchored in Social Sciences, reflecting the college's identity as a selective liberal arts institution where quantitative and policy-oriented fields sit alongside the humanities and natural sciences. Economics is the largest program with 80 graduates annually, followed by Artificial Intelligence with 54 graduates, Mathematics with 53 graduates, Political Science with 36 graduates, and Biology, General with 30 graduates.

The dominant concentration in Social Sciences — roughly 24% of degree output — is complemented by Arts at 5% and Education at 5%. The highest-earning programs reveal where Swarthmore College delivers its strongest direct-to-workforce outcomes.

Azimuth ranks Artificial Intelligence #11 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 54 graduates earning $150,942. Azimuth ranks Economics #23 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 80 graduates earning $128,051; Azimuth ranks Engineering #15 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 28 graduates earning $78,519.

The program that combines the largest cohort scale with strong earnings — Economics — functions as the institution's highest aggregate-return major. Several of Swarthmore College's programs are grad-school-dependent pathways — notably Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics — where four-year earnings undercount long-run trajectory.

Azimuth ranks Programs such as Political Science, which Azimuth #188 for median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions with 36 graduates earning $58,372, and Biology, General, ranked #201 with 30 graduates earning $57,754, represent more direct-to-workforce pathways.

Swarthmore College's published cost of attendance is $84,103, but need-based aid reshapes that figure substantially across income levels. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $7,690; middle-income families pay around $11,444; and higher-income families pay approximately $47,544.

Azimuth ranks Swarthmore College #953 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Swarthmore's aid structure is need-based and meets demonstrated financial need in full for admitted students, per the institution's [financial aid commitment](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). The college uses the FAFSA and CSS Profile for aid determination, and work-study is available as part of aid packages.

The gap between sticker price and net price reflects Swarthmore's substantial endowment and commitment to making attendance affordable for families across the income spectrum. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $65,862; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $65,618, median federal debt of $17,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $198 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Swarthmore College earn median 4-year earnings of $65,618, placing Swarthmore in the 70.3rd percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $57,361 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band). Azimuth ranks Swarthmore #249 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 83.2nd percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects Swarthmore's focus on Social Sciences, which represents 24% of graduates. Economics is the largest program with 80 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $128,051, and Azimuth ranks the program #23 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). Azimuth ranks Computer and Information Sciences, General #12 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with 54 graduates earning $150,942, while Political Science and Government ranks #179 nationally with 36 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $58,372.