Penn vs Central Florida - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Penn admits 5.4%, Central Florida admits 44.7%.
The larger international cohort belongs to Penn: 13.3% of students against 3.3% (Central Florida).
Average aid for an international student is $75,356 (Penn) and $928 (Central Florida).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Penn starts at $92,524 against $42,038 and ends at $21,553 against $30,224 (Central Florida).
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 44.71% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#14 vs #401-500). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $58K). Central Florida has lower sticker-price tuition ($24,076 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 Penn for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Central Florida for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Penn is more selective (5.4% vs 44.71% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1260).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $58K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 78%).
Central Florida has lower sticker-price tuition ($24,076 vs $71,236); Penn offers a larger average aid package ($70,971 vs $11,814).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Penn | Central Florida |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #14 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 44.71% |
| Yield rate | 68% | 33.5% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1260 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.90 | 4.16 |
| Number of applications | 65,236 | 55,135 |
| International students | 13.3% | 3.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $111K | $58K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $39K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $86K |
| Graduation rate | 96.5% | 78% |
| Retention rate | 98.8% | 92.3% |
| Median debt | $15,715 | $18,190 |
| Tuition · year | $71,236 | $24,076 |
| Avg. aid package | $70,971 | $11,814 |
| % of need met | 100% | 65% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,558 | $20,529 |
| Application fee | $75 | $30 |
| Enrollment | 24,023 | 69,338 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Penn or Central Florida?
It's harder to get into Penn. Penn accepts 5.4% of applicants, while Central Florida accepts 44.71%.
Do Penn or Central Florida graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $58K.
How much is tuition at Penn vs Central Florida?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,236 per year at Penn and $24,076 per year at Central Florida.
What SAT score do you need for Penn or Central Florida?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Penn and 1260 at Central Florida; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Penn or Central Florida?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #14 for Penn vs #401-500 for Central Florida.
Which university offers more financial aid - Penn or Central Florida?
The average aid package is $70,971 at Penn and $11,814 at Central Florida.
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