Penn vs. Brown

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

Penn Brown
Location Philadelphia, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 28,711 11,516
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #11
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu brown.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn Brown
Tuition (In State) $58,620 $65,656
Tuition (Out of State) $58,620 $65,656
Room & Board $18,496 $16,598
Avg Net Price $26,017 $26,608
Avg Grant Aid $59,721 $58,378
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 51%

Admission

Penn Brown
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 59,465 51,316
Admitted 3,489 2,686
Acceptance Rate 5.9% 5.2%
Enrolled % 69.2% 63.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1570 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 5, 2025 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

Penn Brown
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Penn Brown
Graduation Rate 96% 95%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $87,600
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 89%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $155

Diversity

Penn Brown
% Men 26% 15%
% Women 33% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 43%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 11% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

Penn Brown
% In-State 14% 3%
% Out-of-State 69% 81%

Campus

Penn Brown
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
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 Brown based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 11,516 students)

Penn vs. Brown Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or Brown?

  • Brown University is 12% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($65,656.00 vs. $58,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12% higher at Brown than University of Pennsylvania ($65,656.00 vs. $58,620.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Brown ($26,017 vs. $26,608)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown University are 11.4% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($16,598 vs. $18,496)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Brown University than University of Pennsylvania (51% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 2.3% larger than aid received Brown University ($59,721 vs. $58,378)

Penn vs. Brown Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is the same at Brown (1457)
  • Incoming Penn students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Brown (33)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Brown (3.94)
  • Penn has a higher acceptance rate (5.9%) than Brown (5.2%)

Penn vs. Brown Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Brown University (96% vs. 95%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $36,000 more per year than Brown graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $87,600)
  • Brown University students graduate with a $5,633 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($15,000 vs. $20,633)
  • Brown graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($155 vs. $213)
  • More Brown graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 84%)

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