Dartmouth vs Penn - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Dartmouth awards international students $87,562 on average, Penn awards $75,356.
Ten years on, graduates of Penn earn noticeably more: $111K against $97K.
At 5.4% and 6%, both admissions processes remain a lottery for any candidate; the difference between them is not an argument here.
33 points separate the SAT profiles: 1553 (Penn) against 1520.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Penn is the more selective of the two (5.4% vs 6.02% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #14). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $97K). Penn has lower sticker-price tuition ($71,236 vs $71,525 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Dartmouth for: a larger aid package, lower graduate debt.
Choose Penn for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Penn is more selective (5.4% vs 6.02% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1520).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $97K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 95.5%).
Penn has lower sticker-price tuition ($71,236 vs $71,525); Dartmouth offers a larger average aid package ($75,301 vs $70,971).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Dartmouth | Penn |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #14 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 6.02% | 5.4% |
| Yield rate | 70.9% | 68% |
| Median SAT | 1520 | 1553 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.90 |
| Number of applications | 28,230 | 65,236 |
| International students | 14.5% | 13.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $97K | $111K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $65K | $70K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $189K | $183K |
| Graduation rate | 95.5% | 96.5% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 98.8% |
| Median debt | $17,500 | $15,715 |
| Tuition · year | $71,525 | $71,236 |
| Avg. aid package | $75,301 | $70,971 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $24,255 | $32,558 |
| Application fee | - | $75 |
| Enrollment | 7,273 | 24,023 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Dartmouth or Penn?
It's harder to get into Penn. Dartmouth accepts 6.02% of applicants, while Penn accepts 5.4%.
Do Dartmouth or Penn graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $97K.
How much is tuition at Dartmouth vs Penn?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,525 per year at Dartmouth and $71,236 per year at Penn.
What SAT score do you need for Dartmouth or Penn?
The median admitted SAT score is 1520 at Dartmouth and 1553 at Penn; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Dartmouth or Penn?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Dartmouth vs #14 for Penn.
Which university offers more financial aid - Dartmouth or Penn?
The average aid package is $75,301 at Dartmouth and $70,971 at Penn.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern
North Carolina