Syracuse vs. Penn

Deciding between Syracuse University and University of Pennsylvania? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Syracuse University
University of Pennsylvania

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Syracuse Syracuse, NY
  • Penn Philadelphia, PA
  • Setting
  • Syracuse Midsize City
  • Penn Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Syracuse 22,589
  • Penn 29,109
  • Type
  • Syracuse Private 4 Year
  • Penn Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Syracuse #158
  • Penn #23
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Syracuse -
  • Penn -
  • Status
  • Syracuse Non-profit
  • Penn Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Syracuse
  • Penn

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn $68,686
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn $68,686
  • Room & Board
  • Syracuse $19,188
  • Penn $19,174
  • Average Net Price
  • Syracuse $48,215
  • Penn $23,570
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Syracuse $36,417
  • Penn $65,458
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Syracuse 76%
  • Penn 51%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Syracuse 44,480
  • Penn 65,226
  • Admitted
  • Syracuse 20,427
  • Penn 3,523
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Syracuse 45.9%
  • Penn 5.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Syracuse 18.8%
  • Penn 68%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Syracuse 1360
  • Penn 1540
  • Typical ACT score
  • Syracuse 30
  • Penn 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Syracuse 3.69
  • Penn 3.95
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Syracuse A-
  • Penn A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Syracuse Very High
  • Penn Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Syracuse Low
  • Penn Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Syracuse 29/32
  • Penn 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Syracuse 1270/1440
  • Penn 1510/1570
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Syracuse Test optional
  • Penn Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Syracuse Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn Jan 5, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Syracuse 15:1
  • Penn 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Syracuse
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (17%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • Penn
    • Business (26%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Syracuse $65,900
  • Penn $123,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Syracuse $27,000
  • Penn $20,633
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Syracuse $279
  • Penn $213

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Syracuse 44%
  • Penn 44%
  • % Women
  • Syracuse 56%
  • Penn 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Syracuse High
  • Penn Very High
  • HBCU
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn No
  • % White
  • Syracuse 55%
  • Penn 45%
  • % Asian
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn 19%
  • % Black
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Syracuse 11%
  • Penn 10%
  • % Native American
  • Syracuse 1%
  • Penn 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Syracuse 0%
  • Penn 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Syracuse 3%
  • Penn 4%
  • % International
  • Syracuse 12%
  • Penn 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Syracuse 2%
  • Penn 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Syracuse 31%
  • Penn 15%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Syracuse 63%
  • Penn 70%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY with University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Pennsylvania is larger than Syracuse based on total student enrollment (29,109 students vs. 22,589 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, NY (Midsize City setting); University of Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
  • Syracuse University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Pennsylvania is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Syracuse University 15:1; University of Pennsylvania 8:1.

Syracuse vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Penn? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Syracuse ($23,570 vs. $48,215).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 0.1% lower than at Syracuse University ($19,174 vs. $19,188).
  • University of Pennsylvania is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Syracuse (about $3,158 more per year; $68,686.00 vs. $65,528.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 4.8% higher at Penn than at Syracuse University (about $3,158 more per year; $68,686.00 vs. $65,528.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Syracuse University than at University of Pennsylvania (76% vs. 51%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 79.7% larger than aid received by Syracuse University students ($65,458 vs. $36,417).

Syracuse vs. Penn Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Syracuse or Penn? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn and Syracuse.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Pennsylvania (1540) is 180 points higher than at Syracuse (1360).
  • Incoming Penn students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 30 at Syracuse).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 1270/1440; University of Pennsylvania 1510/1570.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 29/32; University of Pennsylvania 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Syracuse - Test optional; Penn - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Syracuse Jan 1, 2027; Penn Jan 5, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Syracuse (3.69).
  • Syracuse has a higher acceptance rate (45.9%) than Penn (5.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.8% at Syracuse vs. 68% at Penn.

Syracuse vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Syracuse and Penn? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of Pennsylvania's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Syracuse University's (80%).
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn a median of about $57,700 more per year than Syracuse graduates about ten years after starting college ($123,600 vs. $65,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Pennsylvania graduates have a $6,367 lower median loan debt than Syracuse graduates ($20,633 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn graduates have an estimated $66 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Syracuse graduates ($213 vs. $279).
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Syracuse students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.