Kansas vs Penn - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Penn admits 5.4% of applications, Kansas admits 93.5%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 13.3% (Penn) against 3.1% (Kansas).
Real money goes to international students at Penn ($75,356 on average), while Kansas stops at $11,164.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Penn starts at $92,524 against $47,138 and ends at $21,553 against $27,438 (Kansas).
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 93.48% 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 $62K). Kansas has lower sticker-price tuition ($30,432 vs $71,236 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 Kansas for: lower tuition, 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 93.48% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1190).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $62K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 68.8%).
Kansas has lower sticker-price tuition ($30,432 vs $71,236); Penn offers a larger average aid package ($70,971 vs $19,700).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Kansas | Penn |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #14 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 93.48% | 5.4% |
| Yield rate | 25.5% | 68% |
| Median SAT | 1190 | 1553 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.68 | 3.90 |
| Number of applications | 22,363 | 65,236 |
| International students | 3.1% | 13.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $111K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $40K | $70K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $88K | $183K |
| Graduation rate | 68.8% | 96.5% |
| Retention rate | 86% | 98.8% |
| Median debt | $21,000 | $15,715 |
| Tuition · year | $30,432 | $71,236 |
| Avg. aid package | $19,700 | $70,971 |
| % of need met | 78.6% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,212 | $32,558 |
| Application fee | $40 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 29,792 | 24,023 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Kansas or Penn?
It's harder to get into Penn. Kansas accepts 93.48% of applicants, while Penn accepts 5.4%.
Do Kansas or Penn graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $62K.
How much is tuition at Kansas vs Penn?
Sticker-price tuition is $30,432 per year at Kansas and $71,236 per year at Penn.
What SAT score do you need for Kansas or Penn?
The median admitted SAT score is 1190 at Kansas and 1553 at Penn; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Kansas or Penn?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Kansas vs #14 for Penn.
Which university offers more financial aid - Kansas or Penn?
The average aid package is $19,700 at Kansas and $70,971 at Penn.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern
North Carolina