UMBC vs. Penn

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

UMBC Penn
Location Baltimore, MD Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 13,991 28,201
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UMBC Penn
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $56,212
Room & Board $13,378 $17,888
Avg Net Price $17,692 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 46%

Admission

UMBC Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 54,588
Admitted 9,291 3,549
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 6.5%
Enrolled % 23.1% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 23/29 34/35
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

UMBC Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

UMBC Penn
Graduation Rate 57% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $219 $213

Diversity

UMBC Penn
% Men 53% 44%
% Women 47% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 45%
% Black 17% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

UMBC Penn
% In-State 90% 16%
% Out-of-State 5% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Penn?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 520.7% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 117.7% higher at Penn than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($56,212.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Penn ($17,692 vs. $26,123)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 33.7% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($13,378 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than University of Pennsylvania (92% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 543.2% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($57,175 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 248 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Penn (3.95)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Penn (6.5%)

UMBC vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (96% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $64,100 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $59,500)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $564 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($20,633 vs. $21,197)
  • Penn graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($213 vs. $219)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 67%)

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