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Penn State JMU NC State Purdue Princeton Duke Clemson UofSC UVA Cornell Harvard Mason| University of Pennsylvania | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | Philadelphia, PA | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 28,711 | 38,294 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #23 | #145 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | upenn.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,620 | $12,698 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,620 | $33,310 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,496 | $14,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,017 | $22,205 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,721 | $8,542 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 55% |
Admission |
Penn | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 59,465 | 47,208 | ||
| Admitted | 3,489 | 26,923 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.9% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 69.2% | 26.7% | ||
| 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 | 1240/1420 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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 | 26% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 9% | ||
| 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 | 14% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 33% | ||
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 (38,294 students vs. 28,711 students)
Penn vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn or Virginia Tech?
- University of Pennsylvania is 361.6% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $12,698.00)
- Out of state tuition is 76% higher at Penn than Virginia Tech ($58,620.00 vs. $33,310.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Penn ($22,205 vs. $26,017)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 24.2% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($14,888 vs. $18,496)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than University of Pennsylvania (55% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 599.1% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($59,721 vs. $8,542)
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 (5.9%)
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/