Head-to-head comparison
Swarthmore College vs Haverford College: which has better ROI?
Option A Swarthmore, PA
Swarthmore College
- Net price / year
- $23,149
- Earnings, 10 years
- $80,257
- Payback
- 2.9 yrs
Option B Haverford, PA
Haverford College
- Net price / year
- $25,314
- Earnings, 10 years
- $79,966
- Payback
- 3.2 yrs
Swarthmore College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $92,596 in 2.9 years versus 3.2 years at Haverford College, on median earnings of $80,257 vs $79,966 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Swarthmore College | Haverford College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $23,149 | $25,314 |
| Total net cost | $92,596 | $101,256 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $80,257 | $79,966 |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $13,621 |
| Payback | 2.9 yrs | 3.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $545,344 | $530,864 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Swarthmore College or Haverford College?
Swarthmore College, at $23,149 a year after aid versus $25,314 — a gap of $2,165 a year, or $8,660 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 Swarthmore College or Haverford College graduates earn more?
Swarthmore College graduates report a median $80,257 ten years after entry, $291 more than the $79,966 at Haverford 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, Swarthmore College or Haverford College?
Haverford College: its completers carry a median $13,621 in federal loans versus $17,500 at Swarthmore College, a difference of $3,879. 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 90% at Haverford College. 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.