Penn vs Virginia - 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%, Virginia admits 16.8%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 13.3% (Penn) against 4.9% (Virginia).
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), Virginia does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Penn starts at $92,524 against $80,859 and ends at $21,553 against $43,736 (Virginia).
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 16.81% acceptance). Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#14 vs #201-300). Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $87K). Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 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 Virginia 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 16.81% acceptance); Penn has a higher median SAT (1553 vs 1470).
Penn graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($111K vs $87K); Penn has a higher 6-year graduation rate (96.5% vs 95.6%).
Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($62,923 vs $71,236); Penn offers a larger average aid package ($70,971 vs $37,123).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Penn | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #14 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 68% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1553 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.90 | - |
| Number of applications | 65,236 | 58,951 |
| International students | 13.3% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $111K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $70K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 96.5% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 98.8% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $15,715 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $71,236 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $70,971 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,558 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 24,023 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Penn or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Penn. Penn accepts 5.4% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Penn or Virginia graduates earn more?
Penn graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $111K vs $87K.
How much is tuition at Penn vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $71,236 per year at Penn and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Penn or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1553 at Penn and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Penn or Virginia?
Penn ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #14 for Penn vs #201-300 for Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Penn or Virginia?
The average aid package is $70,971 at Penn and $37,123 at Virginia.
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