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Princeton Duke UChicago Cornell Harvard Notre Dame Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Georgetown Michigan Stanford| Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | Philadelphia, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,161 | 28,201 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #15 | #23 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | upenn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,391 | $56,212 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,391 | $56,212 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,440 | $17,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,095 | $26,123 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $61,716 | $57,175 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 50% | 46% |
Admission |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,261 | 54,588 | ||
| Admitted | 3,695 | 3,549 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 6.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 55.2% | 67.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 3.95 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 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 |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 8:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 96% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $123,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $20,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $213 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 44% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 56% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 45% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 10% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Northwestern | Penn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 16% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 67% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | 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
- University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 23,161 students)
Northwestern vs. Penn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Penn?
- Northwestern University is 11% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- Out of state tuition is 11% higher at Northwestern than University of Pennsylvania ($62,391.00 vs. $56,212.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Penn ($22,095 vs. $26,123)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 8.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($17,888 vs. $19,440)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than University of Pennsylvania (50% vs. 46%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 7.9% larger than aid received University of Pennsylvania ($61,716 vs. $57,175)
Northwestern vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 3 points higher than at Penn (1457)
- Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Penn (33)
- Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
- Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Penn (6.5%)
Northwestern vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Northwestern University (96% vs. 94%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $33,800 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $89,800)
- Northwestern University students graduate with a $1,255 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($19,378 vs. $20,633)
- Northwestern graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($200 vs. $213)
- More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/