Vassar vs. Penn

Deciding between Vassar College and University of Pennsylvania? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Vassar College
University of Pennsylvania

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Vassar Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Penn Philadelphia, PA
  • Setting
  • Vassar Large Suburban
  • Penn Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Vassar 2,462
  • Penn 29,109
  • Type
  • Vassar Private 4 Year
  • Penn Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Vassar #46
  • Penn #23
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Vassar -
  • Penn -
  • Status
  • Vassar Non-profit
  • Penn Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Vassar
  • Penn

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Vassar $71,030
  • Penn $68,686
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Vassar $71,030
  • Penn $68,686
  • Room & Board
  • Vassar $18,240
  • Penn $19,174
  • Average Net Price
  • Vassar $29,981
  • Penn $23,570
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Vassar $57,443
  • Penn $65,458
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Vassar 55%
  • Penn 51%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Vassar 12,447
  • Penn 65,226
  • Admitted
  • Vassar 2,311
  • Penn 3,523
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Vassar 18.6%
  • Penn 5.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Vassar 28.8%
  • Penn 68%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Vassar 1500
  • Penn 1540
  • Typical ACT score
  • Vassar 34
  • Penn 35
  • Average High School GPA
  • Vassar 3.86
  • Penn 3.95
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Vassar A
  • Penn A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Vassar Elite
  • Penn Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • Vassar Very High
  • Penn Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • Vassar 33/35
  • Penn 34/36
  • SAT Range
  • Vassar 1450/1550
  • Penn 1510/1570
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Vassar Test optional
  • Penn Required
  • Application Deadline
  • Vassar Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn Jan 5, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Vassar 7:1
  • Penn 8:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Vassar
    • Social Sciences (25%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
    • English and Literature (10%)
    • Biology (9%)
    • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Penn
    • Business (26%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Vassar 91%
  • Penn 96%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Vassar $58,400
  • Penn $123,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Vassar 92%
  • Penn 84%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Vassar $15,780
  • Penn $20,633
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Vassar $163
  • Penn $213

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Vassar 38%
  • Penn 44%
  • % Women
  • Vassar 62%
  • Penn 56%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Vassar High
  • Penn Very High
  • HBCU
  • Vassar No
  • Penn No
  • % White
  • Vassar 59%
  • Penn 45%
  • % Asian
  • Vassar 11%
  • Penn 19%
  • % Black
  • Vassar 5%
  • Penn 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Vassar 11%
  • Penn 10%
  • % Native American
  • Vassar 0%
  • Penn 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Vassar 0%
  • Penn 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Vassar 6%
  • Penn 4%
  • % International
  • Vassar 7%
  • Penn 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Vassar 0%
  • Penn 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Vassar 29%
  • Penn 15%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Vassar 63%
  • Penn 70%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Vassar Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Vassar No
  • Penn Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Vassar Yes
  • Penn Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Vassar No
  • Penn Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Vassar Yes
  • Penn Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY with University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Pennsylvania is larger than Vassar based on total student enrollment (29,109 students vs. 2,462 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Vassar College is located in Poughkeepsie, NY (Large Suburban setting); University of Pennsylvania is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
  • Vassar College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Pennsylvania is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Vassar College 7:1; University of Pennsylvania 8:1.

Vassar vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or Penn? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Vassar ($23,570 vs. $29,981).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vassar College are 4.9% lower than at University of Pennsylvania ($18,240 vs. $19,174).
  • Vassar College is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn (about $2,344 more per year; $71,030.00 vs. $68,686.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 3.4% higher at Vassar than at University of Pennsylvania (about $2,344 more per year; $71,030.00 vs. $68,686.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Vassar College than at University of Pennsylvania (55% vs. 51%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 14% larger than aid received by Vassar College students ($65,458 vs. $57,443).

Vassar vs. Penn Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Vassar or Penn? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn and Vassar.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Pennsylvania (1540) is 40 points higher than at Vassar (1500).
  • Incoming Penn students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (35 vs. 34 at Vassar).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Vassar College 1450/1550; University of Pennsylvania 1510/1570.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Vassar College 33/35; University of Pennsylvania 34/36.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Vassar - Test optional; Penn - Required.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Vassar Jan 1, 2027; Penn Jan 5, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Vassar (3.86).
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (18.6%) than Penn (5.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.8% at Vassar vs. 68% at Penn.

Vassar vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Vassar and Penn? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of Pennsylvania's six-year graduation rate (96%) is higher than Vassar College's (91%).
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn a median of about $65,200 more per year than Vassar graduates about ten years after starting college ($123,600 vs. $58,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Vassar College graduates have a $4,853 lower median loan debt than Penn graduates ($15,780 vs. $20,633).
  • Among borrowers, Vassar graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn graduates ($163 vs. $213).
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.