Harvard vs. Penn

Should I go to Harvard University or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Harvard 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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Harvard University vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
Harvard University University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Harvard University University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Harvard Penn
Location Cambridge, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,386 28,711
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Penn
Tuition (In State) $54,269 $58,620
Tuition (Out of State) $54,269 $58,620
Room & Board $20,374 $18,496
Avg Net Price $17,900 $26,017
Avg Grant Aid $64,942 $59,721
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 48%

Admission

Harvard Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,937 59,465
Admitted 1,965 3,489
Acceptance Rate 3.5% 5.9%
Enrolled % 83.7% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.95
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/36 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 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

Harvard Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Harvard Penn
Graduation Rate 97% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $67 $213

Diversity

Harvard Penn
% Men 32% 26%
% Women 38% 33%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 45%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Harvard Penn
% In-State 15% 14%
% Out-of-State 70% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (30,386 students vs. 28,711 students)

Harvard vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Penn?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 8% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8% higher at Penn than Harvard University ($58,620.00 vs. $54,269.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Penn ($17,900 vs. $26,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 10.2% lower than costs at Harvard University ($18,496 vs. $20,374)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than University of Pennsylvania (57% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 8.7% larger than aid received University of Pennsylvania ($64,942 vs. $59,721)

Harvard vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 40 points higher than at Penn (1457)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Penn (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Penn (3.95)
  • Penn has a higher acceptance rate (5.9%) than Harvard (3.5%)

Harvard vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Harvard 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 Harvard.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than University of Pennsylvania (97% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $13,100 more per year than Penn graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $123,600)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $14,133 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($6,500 vs. $20,633)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $146 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($67 vs. $213)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 70%)

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