Penn vs Southern California - 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: Penn awards international students $75,356 on average, Southern California awards $25,384.
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Penn: $111K against $92K.
Both universities turn away more than nine applicants in ten (5.4% and 9.8%), so the outcome rests on how well your profile fits, not on the admission rate itself.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to Penn: a midpoint of 1553 against 1495, a difference of 58 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 9.81% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#14 vs #62). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $92K). Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 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 Southern California for: lower tuition, a larger aid package, 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 9.81% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1495).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $92K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 91.8%).
Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $71,236); Southern California offers a larger average aid package ($71,169 vs $70,971).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Penn | Southern California |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #14 | #62 |
| Rank · THE | - | #72 |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 9.81% |
| Yield rate | 68% | 43.3% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1495 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.90 | 3.80 |
| Number of applications | 65,236 | 82,027 |
| International students | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $111K | $92K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $141K |
| Graduation rate | 96.5% | 91.8% |
| Retention rate | 98.8% | 95.6% |
| Median debt | $15,715 | $18,000 |
| Tuition · year | $71,236 | $68,687 |
| Avg. aid package | $70,971 | $71,169 |
| % of need met | 100% | 99.3% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,558 | $27,678 |
| Application fee | $75 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 24,023 | 46,566 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Penn or Southern California?
It's harder to get into Penn. Penn accepts 5.4% of applicants, while Southern California accepts 9.81%.
Do Penn or Southern California graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $92K.
How much is tuition at Penn vs Southern California?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,236 per year at Penn and $68,687 per year at Southern California.
What SAT score do you need for Penn or Southern California?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Penn and 1495 at Southern California; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Penn or Southern California?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #14 for Penn vs #62 for Southern California.
Which university offers more financial aid - Penn or Southern California?
The average aid package is $70,971 at Penn and $71,169 at Southern California.
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