Penn vs. William & Mary

Should I go to University of Pennsylvania or College of William and Mary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn or William & Mary 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UVA University of Richmond Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Washington and Lee Johns Hopkins Georgetown JMU Virginia Tech Stanford
University of Pennsylvania vs. College of William and Mary comparison
University of Pennsylvania College of William and Mary College 3 College 4
University of Pennsylvania College of William and Mary
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn William & Mary
Location Philadelphia, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 28,711 9,762
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #69
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $58,620 $18,252
Tuition (Out of State) $58,620 $42,053
Room & Board $18,496 $14,555
Avg Net Price $26,017 $20,422
Avg Grant Aid $59,721 $20,908
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 40%

Admission

Penn William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 59,465 17,548
Admitted 3,489 5,741
Acceptance Rate 5.9% 32.7%
Enrolled % 69.2% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 34/35 32/34
SAT Range 1500/1570 1365/1510
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 2, 2025

Academics

Penn William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Penn William & Mary
Graduation Rate 96% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $213 $201

Diversity

Penn William & Mary
% Men 26% 12%
% Women 33% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 59%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

Penn William & Mary
% In-State 14% 60%
% Out-of-State 69% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 9,762 students)

Penn vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or William & Mary?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 221.2% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $18,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.4% higher at Penn than College of William and Mary ($58,620.00 vs. $42,053.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of William and Mary than Penn ($20,422 vs. $26,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 27.1% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($14,555 vs. $18,496)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than College of William and Mary (48% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 185.6% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($59,721 vs. $20,908)

Penn vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 104 points higher than at William & Mary (1353)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at William & Mary (30)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at William & Mary (3.85)
  • William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (32.7%) than Penn (5.9%)

Penn vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and Penn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than College of William and Mary (96% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $54,900 more per year than William & Mary graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $68,700)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $1,133 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,633)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($201 vs. $213)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 84%)

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