Swarthmore Acceptance Rate: Class of 2030 Admissions Statistics

Swarthmore College’s Class of 2029 shows an overall acceptance rate of 7.52%, offering admission to 977 students out of 12,995 applicants.

For the Class of 2030, Swarthmore released its Early Decision (ED) results in February 2026, admitting 231 students from 1,249 applications for an acceptance rate of 18.49%. With the early cycle complete, the admissions office is now reviewing the Regular Decision (RD) pool, and final decisions are scheduled for release on April 1.

In this blog, we’ll explore Swarthmore’s most recent overall, early, regular, waitlist, and transfer acceptance rates and examine how these figures have evolved.

• Swarthmore Acceptance Rates
• Swarthmore Early Decision Acceptance Rate
• Swarthmore Regular Decision Acceptance Rate
• Swarthmore Transfer Acceptance Rate
• Swarthmore Waitlist Acceptance Rate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

Swarthmore Acceptance Rates

Swarthmore’s acceptance rate was 7.52% for the Class of 2029, a slight decrease from 7.46% for the Class of 2028. Swarthmore admitted 977 students from 12,995 applicants, compared with 975 admits out of 13,065 applications the previous year.

Over time, Swarthmore’s admissions data reflect growing demand and sustained competition. Here’s the full picture:

Note: All data has been compiled from Swarthmore’s Common Data Set.

Swarthmore has seen a notable increase in applications over the past decade, rising from 9,300 applicants for the Class of 2021 to around 13,000–14,700 in recent cycles. Meanwhile, the number of admitted students has remained relatively stable, typically about 1,000 admits each year.

Because applications have increased while the number of available spots has stayed similar, Swarthmore’s acceptance rate has gradually declined, making admissions more competitive. The highest acceptance rate in this period was 10.70% for the Class of 2021, while the lowest was 6.93% for the Class of 2026.

Swarthmore Early Decision Acceptance Rate

The latest ED figures come from the Class of 2030, when Swarthmore received 1,249 applications and admitted 231 students, producing an 18.49% acceptance rate. This is slightly higher than the 17.80% ED acceptance rate for the Class of 2029.

Swarthmore Early Decision acceptance rate trends

Swarthmore’s early admission data reveal a steady rise in competitiveness over the past decade. Here’s a breakdown:

Note: All ED data has been sourced from Swarthmore’s Common Data Set.

The highest ED acceptance rate in this period was 27.95% for the Class of 2021, while the lowest was 15.91% for the Class of 2027.

Swarthmore’s ED pool has grown from around 700 applicants for the Class of 2021 to about 1,300 applicants in recent cycles. The number of admitted students has remained relatively stable, typically around 200 admits each year.

Swarthmore Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2029, Swarthmore received 11,714 RD applications and admitted 749 students, yielding a 6.39% RD acceptance rate. This marks a slight decrease from the 6.37% RD rate for the Class of 2028.

Despite small year-to-year changes, Swarthmore’s RD round remains significantly more competitive than ED.

Swarthmore Regular Decision acceptance rate trends

Here’s how Swarthmore’s RD rates have declined throughout the years:

Note: RD figures are estimates derived by subtracting ED data from overall totals in Swarthmore’s Common Data Set.

The number of students admitted through Swarthmore’s RD process has remained fairly stable in recent years, generally ranging from about 750 to 800 admits per cycle.

At the same time, the RD applicant pool has expanded from 8,670 applicants for the Class of 2021 to roughly 11,700–13,500 in more recent cycles. This expansion in applications, without a comparable increase in available seats, has driven a steady decline in the RD acceptance rate.

Within this period, the highest RD acceptance rate was 9.28% for the Class of 2021, while the lowest fell to 5.88% for the Class of 2026.

Swarthmore Transfer Acceptance Rate

The most recent Swarthmore transfer data comes from Fall 2025, when the College received 421 applications. Here’s the full breakdown:

Note: Fall 2025 transfer data is from Swarthmore’s Common Data Set for 2025-2026, the same reporting year that includes Class of 2029 first-year admissions data.

For the Class of 2029, 42 transfer students were admitted out of 421 applicants, resulting in a 9.98% transfer acceptance rate,  slightly higher compared to Swarthmore’s first-year acceptance rate of 7.52%. Transfer decisions often depend on factors such as enrollment needs, available space, and institutional priorities, which can vary each year.

Swarthmore Waitlist Acceptance Rate

The most recent waitlist data comes from the Class of 2029, when Swarthmore admitted 14 students from the waitlist. Here’s the breakdown:

Note: Waitlist data comes from Swarthmore’s latest Common Data Set.

Swarthmore does not typically release complete waitlist statistics, so the exact waitlist acceptance rate is unclear. For the Class of 2029, the college confirmed that 14 students were admitted from the waitlist, but it did not provide a detailed breakdown of how many applicants were waitlisted or how many chose to remain on the list.

Because of this limited data, waitlist outcomes can be difficult to predict. The number of students admitted from the waitlist often depends on factors such as yield rates and enrollment needs, which can vary significantly from year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Swarthmore’s current acceptance rate?

The most recent confirmed acceptance rate at Swarthmore College is 7.52% for the Class of 2029. In that admissions cycle, the college received 12,995 applications and admitted 977 students.

2. Is it easier to get into Swarthmore through Early Decision or Regular Decision?

Historically, Swarthmore’s ED acceptance rate is higher than its RD rate. For the Class of 2029, the ED acceptance rate was 17.80%, compared to 6.39% for RD. However, the ED pool is typically very strong, and many spots in the incoming class are filled during this round.

3. How hard is it to transfer to Swarthmore?

Swarthmore’s transfer admission process is highly selective. For the Class of 2029, 42 transfer students were admitted out of 421 applicants, resulting in a 9.98% transfer acceptance rate.

4. What are my chances of getting off Swarthmore’s waitlist?

It can be difficult. For the Class of 2029, the college confirmed that 14 students were admitted from the waitlist, but it did not disclose how many applicants were waitlisted or how many remained on the list.

5. Why is Swarthmore’s acceptance rate so low?

Swarthmore’s acceptance rate is low because applications far exceed the number of available spots. The college typically admits around 1,000 students each year, but it receives around 13,000 applications in recent cycles. With limited seats and growing national demand for top liberal arts colleges, competition remains intense, keeping acceptance rates in the single digits.

Takeaways

• Swarthmore’s acceptance rate has become increasingly selective in recent years, declining from 10.70% for the Class of 2021 to about 7.46% for the Class of 2028, before holding nearly steady at 7.52% for the Class of 2029.
• Applying through ED can offer a statistical edge. For the Class of 2029, the ED acceptance rate was 17.80%, compared to 6.39% in RD, though the early pool typically includes many of the strongest applicants.
• Other pathways are even less predictable. In Fall 2025, Swarthmore College received 421 transfer applications and admitted 42, resulting in a 9.98% transfer acceptance rate. The college also admitted 14 students from the waitlist, though it did not release a detailed data breakdown.
• With admissions this competitive, a strong, cohesive application can make a meaningful difference. Careful preparation with the help of a college admissions expert allows you to showcase your academic story, emphasize your unique impact, and position yourself effectively in Swarthmore’s highly selective applicant pool.