Penn vs Emory - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
Penn admits 5.4% of applicants, while Emory admits 10.3%.
Real money goes to international students at Penn ($75,356 on average), while Emory stops at $54,457.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Penn: $111K against $80K.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Penn: a midpoint of 1553 against 1510, a difference of 43 points.
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 10.29% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#14 vs #101-150). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $80K). Emory has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,056 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 Emory 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 10.29% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1510).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $80K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 91.1%).
Emory has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,056 vs $71,236); Penn offers a larger average aid package ($70,971 vs $67,329).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Penn | Emory |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #14 | #101-150 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 10.29% |
| Yield rate | 68% | 40.4% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1510 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.90 | 3.84 |
| Number of applications | 65,236 | 34,614 |
| International students | 13.3% | 16.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $111K | $80K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $58K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $120K |
| Graduation rate | 96.5% | 91.1% |
| Retention rate | 98.8% | 96% |
| Median debt | $15,715 | $18,250 |
| Tuition · year | $71,236 | $68,056 |
| Avg. aid package | $70,971 | $67,329 |
| % of need met | 100% | 99.9% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,558 | $24,562 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 24,023 | 15,179 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Penn or Emory?
It's harder to get into Penn. Penn accepts 5.4% of applicants, while Emory accepts 10.29%.
Do Penn or Emory graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $80K.
How much is tuition at Penn vs Emory?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,236 per year at Penn and $68,056 per year at Emory.
What SAT score do you need for Penn or Emory?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Penn and 1510 at Emory; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Penn or Emory?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #14 for Penn vs #101-150 for Emory.
Which university offers more financial aid - Penn or Emory?
The average aid package is $70,971 at Penn and $67,329 at Emory.
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