Tufts vs. Penn

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

Tufts Penn
Location Medford, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 13,431 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #32 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tufts.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Tufts Penn
Tuition (In State) $63,804 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $63,804 $56,212
Room & Board $16,778 $17,888
Avg Net Price $30,479 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $51,613 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 39% 46%

Admission

Tufts Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,882 54,588
Admitted 3,381 3,549
Acceptance Rate 9.7% 6.5%
Enrolled % 50.1% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1450/1550 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

Tufts Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (31%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Tufts Penn
Graduation Rate 90% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $83,100 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,000 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $186 $213

Diversity

Tufts Penn
% Men 41% 44%
% Women 59% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 45%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Tufts Penn
% In-State 21% 16%
% Out-of-State 65% 67%

Campus

Tufts 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 Tufts based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 13,431 students)

Tufts vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tufts or Penn?

  • Tufts University is 13.5% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($63,804.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.5% higher at Tufts than University of Pennsylvania ($63,804.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Tufts ($26,123 vs. $30,479)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tufts University are 6.6% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($16,778 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than Tufts University (46% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 10.8% larger than aid received Tufts University ($57,175 vs. $51,613)

Tufts vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 33 points higher than at Tufts (1424)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Tufts (32)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Tufts (3.91)
  • Tufts has a higher acceptance rate (9.7%) than Penn (6.5%)

Tufts vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Tufts 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 Tufts.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Tufts University (96% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $40,500 more per year than Tufts graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $83,100)
  • Tufts University students graduate with a $2,633 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($18,000 vs. $20,633)
  • Tufts graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($186 vs. $213)
  • More Tufts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 84%)

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