Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
George Washington Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Johns Hopkins Georgetown Stanford Brown Northwestern Dartmouth Yale| American University | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
AU | Penn | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,019 | 28,711 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #84 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,724 | $58,620 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,724 | $58,620 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,012 | $18,496 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $40,189 | $26,017 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,402 | $59,721 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 48% |
Admission |
AU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 59,465 | ||
| Admitted | 8,427 | 3,489 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.4% | 5.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22% | 69.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1450 | 1500/1570 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2025 | Jan 5, 2025 |
Academics |
AU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
AU | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $64,800 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $213 |
Diversity |
AU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 26% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 33% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
AU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 14% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 69% | ||
Campus |
AU | Penn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Pennsylvania is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 13,019 students)
AU vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn?
- University of Pennsylvania is 5.2% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Penn than American University ($58,620.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than AU ($26,017 vs. $40,189)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 8.7% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($17,012 vs. $18,496)
- More students receive financial grant aid at American University than University of Pennsylvania (62% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 90.2% larger than aid received American University ($59,721 vs. $31,402)
AU vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or AU .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 205 points higher than at AU (1252)
- Incoming Penn students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at AU (28)
- Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at AU (3.7)
- AU has a higher acceptance rate (47.4%) than Penn (5.9%)
AU vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU or Penn? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn and AU.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than American University (96% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $58,800 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $64,800)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,617 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($20,633 vs. $24,250)
- Penn graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($213 vs. $250)
- More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 80%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/