Penn vs. BC

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

 Penn BC
Location Philadelphia, PA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Large City Small Suburban
Enrollment 28,711 1,436
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn BC
Tuition (In State) $58,620 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $58,620 $40,300
Room & Board $18,496 $14,370
Avg Net Price $26,017 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $59,721 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 100%

Admission

 Penn BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 59,465 3,984
Admitted 3,489 3,618
Acceptance Rate 5.9% 90.8%
Enrolled % 69.2% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.61
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 28/29
SAT Range 1500/1570 1070/1375
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 5, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Penn BC
Graduation Rate 96% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $279

Diversity

 Penn BC
% Men 26% 1%
% Women 33% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 73%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

 Penn BC
% In-State 14% 69%
% Out-of-State 69% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 1,436 students)

Penn vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or BC?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 45.5% more expensive to attend than BC for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $40,300.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.5% higher at Penn than Bridgewater College ($58,620.00 vs. $40,300.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Penn ($19,660 vs. $26,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 28.7% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($14,370 vs. $18,496)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 64.3% larger than aid received Bridgewater College ($59,721 vs. $36,350)

Penn vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 423 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at BC (3.61)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than Penn (5.9%)

Penn vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn or BC? 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 BC and Penn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Bridgewater College (96% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $80,500 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $43,100)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,367 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 77%)

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