Physical Sciences at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College awarded 18 bachelor's degrees in physical sciences in 2023, 4.2% of its 426 graduates, which makes it the 9th most common field of study at the school. Across all 2,440 reporting institutions the field accounts for 1.29% of bachelor's degrees; at Swarthmore College it is 3.3x that, far more concentrated. 39% of those graduates were women.
Is physical sciences competitive at Swarthmore College?
Colleges report one admission rate for the whole school; here is the bar you are actually measured against, and how the model treats this major.
Swarthmore College admitted 992 of 14,287 applicants for fall 2023 (7%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1490 to 1560 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for physical sciences at Swarthmore College. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Physics / Chemistry" as more competitive than Swarthmore College's overall rate (multiplier 0.98 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
How to apply to Swarthmore College for physical sciences
What readers look for from applicants who declare this field, at any selectivity.
- Chemistry and physics at the highest level, with calculus
- A lab or research experience, even a small one, described specifically
- Math depth matters as much as science grades here
- Run your odds with the major set: your estimate at Swarthmore College for physical sciences →
Where else to study physical sciences
Other colleges in Pennsylvania and at a similar selectivity that award bachelor's degrees in this field.
Every college ranked by physical sciences graduates: colleges that graduate the most physical sciences majors → · Physical Sciences colleges in Pennsylvania →
More majors at Swarthmore College
The other fields Swarthmore College graduates the most students in, 2023.
Questions about physical sciences at Swarthmore College
How many students major in physical sciences at Swarthmore College?
18 students earned a bachelor's degree in physical sciences at Swarthmore College in 2023, 4.2% of that year's 426 graduates (IPEDS completions, first majors).
Is physical sciences competitive at Swarthmore College?
Swarthmore College admitted 992 of 14,287 applicants for fall 2023 (7%), and the middle 50% of admitted students scored 1490 to 1560 on the SAT. Colleges report admissions at the school level, not by major, so there is no published acceptance rate for physical sciences at Swarthmore College. CollegeCalcAI's published model treats "Physics / Chemistry" as more competitive than Swarthmore College's overall rate (multiplier 0.98 on the effective admit rate), so an applicant declaring this field is scored against a slightly higher bar.
What is the acceptance rate for physical sciences at Swarthmore College?
There is no official major-level acceptance rate; Swarthmore College reports one school-wide figure, 7%. Some programs (direct-admit nursing, engineering and business schools) select separately and can be more selective than the school overall. CollegeCalcAI's calculator applies its published per-major adjustment and shows your estimate for this school with the major set.
Is Swarthmore College known for physical sciences?
By output, physical sciences is the 9th most common field at Swarthmore College and far more concentrated there than at the average U.S. college (4.2% of graduates versus 1.29% nationally).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series). Admissions counts: IPEDS 2023. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.