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BU Villanova Northeastern Princeton Duke Cornell Tufts Harvard Babson Colgate Johns Hopkins Georgetown| Boston College | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
BC | Penn | ||
| Location | Chestnut Hill, MA | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,287 | 28,201 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #45 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bc.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BC | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,950 | $56,212 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,950 | $56,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,120 | $17,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,559 | $26,123 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $49,992 | $57,175 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 40% | 46% |
Admission |
BC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 40,494 | 54,588 | ||
| Admitted | 6,748 | 3,549 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 16.7% | 6.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 34.6% | 67.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.86 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1435/1540 | 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 1, 2025 | Jan 5, 2025 |
Academics |
BC | Penn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BC | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 91% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $90,900 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 90% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,000 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $196 | $213 |
Diversity |
BC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 3% |
Students |
BC | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 21% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 67% | ||
Campus |
BC | Penn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Pennsylvania is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 15,287 students)
BC vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BC or Penn?
- Boston College is 12% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12% higher at BC than University of Pennsylvania ($62,950.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than BC ($26,123 vs. $30,559)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 11% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($16,120 vs. $17,888)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than Boston College (46% vs. 40%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 14.4% larger than aid received Boston College ($57,175 vs. $49,992)
BC vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BC or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or BC .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 77 points higher than at BC (1380)
- Incoming Penn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BC (32)
- Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at BC (3.86)
- BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than Penn (6.5%)
BC vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BC 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 BC.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Boston College (96% vs. 91%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $32,700 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $90,900)
- Boston College students graduate with a $1,633 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($19,000 vs. $20,633)
- BC graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($196 vs. $213)
- More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 84%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/