Penn vs. Virginia Tech

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

Penn Virginia Tech
Location Philadelphia, PA Blacksburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 28,201 38,170
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $56,212 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $56,212 $31,754
Room & Board $17,888 $12,680
Avg Net Price $26,123 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $57,175 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 57%

Admission

Penn Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,588 45,321
Admitted 3,549 25,825
Acceptance Rate 6.5% 57%
Enrolled % 67.9% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.97
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35 27/32
SAT Range 1500/1570 1240/1430
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 15, 2025

Academics

Penn Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Penn Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 96% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $213 $247

Diversity

Penn Virginia Tech
% Men 44% 57%
% Women 56% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 45% 68%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Penn Virginia Tech
% In-State 16% 64%
% Out-of-State 67% 32%

Campus

Penn Virginia Tech
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

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (38,170 students vs. 28,201 students)

Penn vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or Virginia Tech?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 364.4% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $12,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77% higher at Penn than Virginia Tech ($56,212.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Penn ($19,301 vs. $26,123)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 41.1% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($12,680 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than University of Pennsylvania (57% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 647.5% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($57,175 vs. $7,649)

Penn vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 247 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Penn (3.95)
  • Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than Penn (6.5%)

Penn vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Penn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Virginia Tech (96% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $58,600 more per year than Virginia Tech graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $65,000)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,333 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($20,633 vs. $23,966)
  • Penn graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($213 vs. $247)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Virginia Tech students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 81%)

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