Duke 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: Duke awards international students $90,599 on average, Penn awards $75,356.
Ten years on, graduates of Penn earn noticeably more: $111K against $98K.
Both universities turn away more than nine applicants in ten (5.4% and 5.7%), so the outcome rests on how well your profile fits, not on the admission rate itself.
On SAT scores this is the same calibre of applicant: 1548 and 1553.
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 5.71% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#39 vs #14). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $98K). Penn has lower sticker-price tuition ($71,236 vs $73,172 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 Duke for: a higher graduation rate, 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 5.71% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1548).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $98K); Duke has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.8% vs 96.5%).
Penn has lower sticker-price tuition ($71,236 vs $73,172); Duke offers a larger average aid package ($72,437 vs $70,971).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Duke | Penn |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #39 | #14 |
| Rank · THE | #27 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.71% | 5.4% |
| Yield rate | 58.8% | 68% |
| Median SAT | 1548 | 1553 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 3.90 |
| Number of applications | 51,795 | 65,236 |
| International students | 10.6% | 13.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $98K | $111K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $66K | $70K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $172K | $183K |
| Graduation rate | 96.8% | 96.5% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 98.8% |
| Median debt | $13,000 | $15,715 |
| Tuition · year | $73,172 | $71,236 |
| Avg. aid package | $72,437 | $70,971 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,515 | $32,558 |
| Application fee | - | $75 |
| Enrollment | 17,499 | 24,023 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Duke or Penn?
It's harder to get into Penn. Duke accepts 5.71% of applicants, while Penn accepts 5.4%.
Do Duke or Penn graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $98K.
How much is tuition at Duke vs Penn?
Sticker-price tuition is $73,172 per year at Duke and $71,236 per year at Penn.
What SAT score do you need for Duke or Penn?
The median admitted SAT score is 1548 at Duke and 1553 at Penn; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Duke or Penn?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #39 for Duke vs #14 for Penn.
Which university offers more financial aid - Duke or Penn?
The average aid package is $72,437 at Duke and $70,971 at Penn.
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