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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UVA University of Richmond Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Washington and Lee Johns Hopkins Georgetown JMU Virginia Tech Stanford| University of Pennsylvania | College of William and Mary | College 3 | College 4 | |
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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 | ||
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| 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, 2026 | Jan 2, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn | William & Mary | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 13:1 | ||
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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 |
Which college is more expensive, Penn or William & Mary?
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 .
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.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/