More selective than 99% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $89,028. College Scorecard.
Higher than 100% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 99% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 99% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 99% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate & admissions
Of 59,465 applicants, University of Pennsylvania admitted 3,489 and 2,416 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1510–1570 on the SAT or 34–36 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
University of Pennsylvania tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What University of Pennsylvania costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of Pennsylvania took 4.1 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $0 | $0 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $316 | $1,296 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $10,439 | $42,800 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $25,476 | $104,452 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $55,972 | $229,485 | 3.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (88% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($111,371) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $75,574 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
University of Pennsylvania majors, earnings & careers
University of Pennsylvania offers 76 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 16
- Business & Finance · 13
- Science & Math · 12
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 12
- Engineering · 9
- Arts & Design · 6
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Communications & Media · 1
Highest-earning majors at University of Pennsylvania
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $241,380 | $15,000 |
| Finance | $202,069 | $12,865 |
| Management Science / Analytics | $153,279 | $15,750 |
| Business Administration | $136,806 | $20,348 |
| Economics | $129,985 | $14,000 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $126,419 | $15,593 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $114,492 | $12,455 |
| Communications | $114,266 | $15,637 |
Quick list of all 76 majors
- Accounting—
- Anthropology—
- Architecture—
- Area Studies—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other—
- Biological and Physical Sciences—
- Biology$68,435
- Biomedical Engineering$126,419
- Business—
- Business Administration$136,806
- Chemical Engineering$109,884
- Chemistry—
- Classics—
- Cognitive Science$109,784
- Communications$114,266
- Computer and Information Sciences$241,380
- Computer Engineering—
- Computer Science—
- Criminology—
- Data Analytics—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$129,985
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering, Other—
- English$61,989
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$202,069
- General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations—
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration—
- History$88,517
- Human Resources—
- Insurance—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations$87,439
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Linguistics—
- Literature—
- Management Science / Analytics$153,279
- Marketing$112,211
- Materials Engineering—
- Mathematics—
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Mechanical Engineering$114,492
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$76,395
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Music—
- Neuroscience$78,295
- Nursing$98,475
- Philosophy$107,454
- Physics—
- Political Science$93,033
- Psychology$73,012
- Psychology (Research)—
- Psychology, Other—
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Real Estate—
- Religious Studies—
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Social Sciences—
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Sociology$72,217
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$44,735
- Systems Engineering—
- Theatre—
- Urban Studies / Affairs$73,190
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Finance → Financial analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Philadelphia
Overall prices in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,860. Housing costs 13% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 51 inches of rain a year, 16 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); tornado (relatively high); river flooding (very high); coastal flooding (relatively high); heat wave (very high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Philadelphia County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Philadelphia County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare University of Pennsylvania with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | 5% | $28,699 | 97% | $111,371 | This school |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 12% | $31,944 | 94% | $114,862 | |
| Swarthmore College | 7% | $23,149 | 92% | $80,257 | |
| Curtis Institute of Music | 5% | — | 96% | — | |
| Villanova University | 27% | $43,756 | 92% | $100,423 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
University of Pennsylvania would cost you $3,245 less per year than Carnegie Mellon University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at University of Pennsylvania, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$2,440).
- University of Pennsylvania gives aided families $8,619 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | University of Pennsylvania | Carnegie Mellon University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $68,686 | $66,246 | +$2,440 |
| Books & supplies | $1,358 | $1,000 | +$358 |
| Housing & meals | $18,496 | $17,468 | +$1,028 |
| Personal & travel | $3,070 | $1,400 | +$1,670 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,582 | −$2,460 | −$122 |
| Sticker price | $89,028 | $83,654 | +$5,374 |
| Average grants | −$60,329 | −$51,710 | −$8,619 |
| You pay | $28,699 | $31,944 | −$3,245 |
“+” means University of Pennsylvania costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about University of Pennsylvania
What is the University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate?
University of Pennsylvania accepts 5% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,489 of 59,465 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1510–1570 on the SAT or 34–36 on the ACT.
How much does University of Pennsylvania cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $89,028 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $28,699 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $0 and families earning $110k+ pay $55,972.
How much do University of Pennsylvania graduates earn?
Former University of Pennsylvania students earn a median $111,371 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the University of Pennsylvania graduation rate?
97% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 99% return for their second year.
How long does a University of Pennsylvania degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of Pennsylvania costs about $42,800 after grants ($10,439 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $111,371 ten years after starting, $75,574 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Pennsylvania: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).