AU vs. Penn

Should I go to American University or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU 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.

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American University vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
American University University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
American University University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

AU Penn
Location Washington, DC Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 13,885 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #23
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU Penn
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $56,212
Room & Board $15,706 $17,888
Avg Net Price $41,369 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 46%

Admission

AU Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 54,588
Admitted 7,926 3,549
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 6.5%
Enrolled % 22.2% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/32 34/35
SAT Range 1290/1430 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 Jan 15, 2024 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

AU Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

AU Penn
Graduation Rate 77% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $250 $213

Diversity

AU Penn
% Men 37% 44%
% Women 63% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 45%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

AU Penn
% In-State 2% 16%
% Out-of-State 94% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 13,885 students)

AU vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or Penn?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 5.9% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.9% higher at Penn than American University ($56,212.00 vs. $53,070.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than AU ($26,123 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at American University are 13.9% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($15,706 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than University of Pennsylvania (66% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 110.7% larger than aid received American University ($57,175 vs. $27,138)

AU vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 205 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than Penn (6.5%)

AU vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU 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 AU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than American University (96% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $58,800 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $64,800)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,617 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($20,633 vs. $24,250)
  • Penn graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($213 vs. $250)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 80%)

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