Penn vs North Carolina - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Penn: 5.4% against 15.3% (North Carolina).
The share of international students differs sharply: 13.3% (Penn) against 6.4% (North Carolina).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Penn reports aid for international students ($75,356 on average), North Carolina does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Penn starts at $92,524 against $60,888 and ends at $21,553 against $40,183 (North Carolina).
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 15.34% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#14 vs #35). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $72K). North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 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 North Carolina 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 15.34% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1470).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $72K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 91.2%).
North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $71,236); Penn offers a larger average aid package ($70,971 vs $20,705).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Penn | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #14 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | - | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 68% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.90 | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 65,236 | 66,535 |
| International students | 13.3% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $111K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 96.5% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 98.8% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $15,715 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $71,236 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $70,971 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,558 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $75 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 24,023 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Penn or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into Penn. Penn accepts 5.4% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do Penn or North Carolina graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $72K.
How much is tuition at Penn vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,236 per year at Penn and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for Penn or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Penn and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Penn or North Carolina?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #14 for Penn vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - Penn or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $70,971 at Penn and $20,705 at North Carolina.
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