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Northeastern BC NYU Princeton Duke Cornell Babson Harvard Tufts Johns Hopkins UMass Brandeis University| Boston University | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
BU | Penn | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,714 | 28,201 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #79 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,050 | $56,212 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,050 | $56,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,400 | $17,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,829 | $26,123 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $51,565 | $57,175 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 46% |
Admission |
BU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,796 | 54,588 | ||
| Admitted | 11,607 | 3,549 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 14.4% | 6.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 31.3% | 67.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1350/1500 | 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 4, 2025 | Jan 5, 2025 |
Academics |
BU | Penn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BU | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $72,000 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $213 |
Diversity |
BU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 43% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 20% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
BU | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 61% | 67% | ||
Campus |
BU | Penn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Boston University is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 28,201 students)
BU vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or Penn?
- Boston University is 8.6% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.6% higher at BU than University of Pennsylvania ($61,050.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than BU ($26,123 vs. $27,829)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston University are 2.8% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($17,400 vs. $17,888)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than University of Pennsylvania (48% vs. 46%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 10.9% larger than aid received Boston University ($57,175 vs. $51,565)
BU vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BU or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or BU .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 154 points higher than at BU (1303)
- Incoming Penn students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
- Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at BU (3.79)
- BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Penn (6.5%)
BU vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BU 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 BU.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Boston University (96% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $51,600 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $72,000)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,367 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,000)
- Penn graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
- More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 82%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/