Head-to-head comparison
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia vs Swarthmore College: which has better ROI?
Option A Philadelphia, PA
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
- Net price / year
- $29,689
- Earnings, 10 years
- $86,881
- Payback
- 3.1 yrs
Option B Swarthmore, PA
Swarthmore College
- Net price / year
- $23,149
- Earnings, 10 years
- $80,257
- Payback
- 2.9 yrs
Swarthmore College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $92,596 in 2.9 years versus 3.1 years at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia, on median earnings of $80,257 vs $86,881 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia | Swarthmore College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,689 | $23,149 |
| Total net cost | $118,756 | $92,596 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $86,881 | $80,257 |
| Median debt | $25,500 | $17,500 |
| Payback | 3.1 yrs | 2.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $651,664 | $545,344 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia or Swarthmore College?
Swarthmore College, at $23,149 a year after aid versus $29,689 — a gap of $6,540 a year, or $26,160 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia or Swarthmore College graduates earn more?
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia graduates report a median $86,881 ten years after entry, $6,624 more than the $80,257 at Swarthmore College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia or Swarthmore College?
Swarthmore College: its completers carry a median $17,500 in federal loans versus $25,500 at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia, a difference of $8,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
92% of students finish at Swarthmore College, against 79% at Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.