Gordon College vs. Penn

Should I go to Gordon College or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Gordon College or Penn is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Gordon College vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
Gordon College University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Gordon College University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Gordon College Penn
Location Wenham, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 1,610 28,711
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #343 #23
Religious Affiliation Interdenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gordon.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gordon College Penn
Tuition (In State) $27,000 $58,620
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $58,620
Room & Board $12,650 $18,496
Avg Net Price $25,250 $26,017
Avg Grant Aid $15,740 $59,721
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 48%

Admission

Gordon College Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,579 59,465
Admitted 1,516 3,489
Acceptance Rate 58.8% 5.9%
Enrolled % 21.6% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.95
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 26/32 34/35
SAT Range 1168/1370 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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

Gordon College Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Gordon College Penn
Graduation Rate 74% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $279 $213

Diversity

Gordon College Penn
% Men 5% 26%
% Women 15% 33%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 45%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Gordon College Penn
% In-State 35% 14%
% Out-of-State 58% 69%

Campus

Gordon College Penn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Gordon College based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 1,610 students)

Gordon College vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gordon College or Penn?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 117.1% more expensive to attend than Gordon College for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 117.1% higher at Penn than Gordon College ($58,620.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Gordon College than Penn ($25,250 vs. $26,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 46.2% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($12,650 vs. $18,496)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gordon College than University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 279.4% larger than aid received Gordon College ($59,721 vs. $15,740)

Gordon College vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Gordon College or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or Gordon College .

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 345 points higher than at Gordon College (1112)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Gordon College (26)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Gordon College (3.58)
  • Gordon College has a higher acceptance rate (58.8%) than Penn (5.9%)

Gordon College vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gordon College 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 Gordon College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Gordon College (96% vs. 74%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $78,300 more per year than Gordon College graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $45,300)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,367 lower median federal student loan debt than Gordon College graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Gordon College graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
  • More Gordon College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/