Muhlenberg College vs. Penn

Should I go to Muhlenberg College or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Muhlenberg College or Penn is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Johns Hopkins Georgetown Stanford Brown Northwestern Dartmouth Yale Carnegie Mellon
Muhlenberg College vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
Muhlenberg College University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Muhlenberg College University of Pennsylvania
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Muhlenberg College Penn
Location Allentown, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 1,959 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #88 #23
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website muhlenberg.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Muhlenberg College Penn
Tuition (In State) $57,270 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $57,270 $56,212
Room & Board $13,440 $17,888
Avg Net Price $32,926 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $38,412 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 46%

Admission

Muhlenberg College Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,329 54,588
Admitted 2,836 3,549
Acceptance Rate 65.5% 6.5%
Enrolled % 14.8% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.95
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/33 34/35
SAT Range 1200/1400 1500/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2024 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

Muhlenberg College Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Muhlenberg College Penn
Graduation Rate 86% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $63,700 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,490 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $273 $213

Diversity

Muhlenberg College Penn
% Men 39% 44%
% Women 61% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 75% 45%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 11%
% Unknown Race 8% 3%

Students

Muhlenberg College Penn
% In-State 31% 16%
% Out-of-State 68% 67%

Campus

Muhlenberg College Penn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Muhlenberg College based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 1,959 students)

Muhlenberg College vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Muhlenberg College or Penn?

  • Muhlenberg College is 1.9% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($57,270.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.9% higher at Muhlenberg College than University of Pennsylvania ($57,270.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Muhlenberg College ($26,123 vs. $32,926)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Muhlenberg College are 33.1% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($13,440 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Muhlenberg College than University of Pennsylvania (98% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 48.8% larger than aid received Muhlenberg College ($57,175 vs. $38,412)

Muhlenberg College vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Muhlenberg College or Penn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn or Muhlenberg College .

  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Muhlenberg College (3.44)
  • Muhlenberg College has a higher acceptance rate (65.5%) than Penn (6.5%)

Muhlenberg College vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Muhlenberg College or Penn? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn and Muhlenberg College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Muhlenberg College (96% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $59,900 more per year than Muhlenberg College graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $63,700)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $5,857 lower median federal student loan debt than Muhlenberg College graduates. ($20,633 vs. $26,490)
  • Penn graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Muhlenberg College graduates. ($213 vs. $273)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Muhlenberg College students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 84%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/