Swarthmore Promises Free Tuition for Families Under $200K

Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania is the latest institution to promise free tuition to any student whose family earns under a certain income threshold.

Beginning fall 2027, the institution’s financial aid will cover at least the cost of tuition for students from families with incomes under $200,000, the college announced Tuesday.

“The Swarthmore Tuition Guarantee is a powerful demonstration of our belief that a student’s intellectual curiosity, creativity, and talent should decide what’s possible, not whether they can pay for tuition,” the college’s president, Valerie Smith, said in the announcement. “We hope it communicates to families that their financial circumstances are not a barrier to a transformational liberal arts education at Swarthmore.”

According to the announcement, 55 percent of Swarthmore students already receive financial aid and the institution already promises to meet 100 percent of determined financial need for all students. The college also noted that students whose family incomes exceed that $200,000 mark may also be eligible for financial aid.

Similar tuition-guarantee programs have become increasing common in the past several years, particularly at highly selective private institutions with large endowments, though some public institutions have also joined the trend.