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.

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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
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Overview

Penn William & Mary
Location Philadelphia, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 28,201 9,654
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #61
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $56,212 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $56,212 $40,089
Room & Board $17,888 $13,828
Avg Net Price $26,123 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $57,175 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 66%

Admission

Penn William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,588 18,087
Admitted 3,549 6,059
Acceptance Rate 6.5% 33.5%
Enrolled % 67.9% 27.1%
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 1375/1520
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 12:1
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 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
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 16% 58%
% Out-of-State 67% 36%

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 (28,201 students vs. 9,654 students)

Penn vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Pennsylvania is 222.4% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $17,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.2% higher at Penn than College of William and Mary ($56,212.00 vs. $40,089.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of William and Mary than Penn ($25,688 vs. $26,123)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 29.4% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($13,828 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of William and Mary than University of Pennsylvania (66% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 277.8% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($57,175 vs. $15,134)

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 (33.5%) than Penn (6.5%)

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/