Princeton vs. Penn

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

Princeton Penn
Location Princeton, NJ Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 8,922 28,711
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website princeton.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Princeton Penn
Tuition (In State) $59,710 $58,620
Tuition (Out of State) $59,710 $58,620
Room & Board $19,380 $18,496
Avg Net Price $19,811 $26,017
Avg Grant Aid $60,629 $59,721
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 48%

Admission

Princeton Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 39,644 59,465
Admitted 1,782 3,489
Acceptance Rate 4.5% 5.9%
Enrolled % 76.7% 69.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.93 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 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

Princeton Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Princeton Penn
Graduation Rate 96% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $113,900 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $77 $213

Diversity

Princeton Penn
% Men 21% 26%
% Women 16% 33%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 45%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Princeton Penn
% In-State 16% 14%
% Out-of-State 71% 69%

Campus

Princeton Penn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Princeton based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 8,922 students)

Princeton vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Princeton or Penn?

  • Princeton University is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($59,710.00 vs. $58,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Princeton than University of Pennsylvania ($59,710.00 vs. $58,620.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Princeton University than Penn ($19,811 vs. $26,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 4.8% lower than costs at Princeton University ($18,496 vs. $19,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Princeton University than University of Pennsylvania (60% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Princeton University students is 1.5% larger than aid received University of Pennsylvania ($60,629 vs. $59,721)

Princeton vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Princeton University (1490) is 33 points higher than at Penn (1457)
  • Incoming Princeton students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Penn (33)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Princeton (3.93)
  • Penn has a higher acceptance rate (5.9%) than Princeton (4.5%)

Princeton vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Princeton 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 Princeton.

  • The graduation rate at Princeton is the same as at University of Pennsylvania (96% vs. 96%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $9,700 more per year than Princeton graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $113,900)
  • Princeton University students graduate with a $13,133 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($7,500 vs. $20,633)
  • Princeton graduates are paying $136 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($77 vs. $213)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Princeton students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)

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