Northwestern vs. Penn

Should I go to Northwestern University or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Northwestern 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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Northwestern University vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
Northwestern University University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Northwestern University University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Northwestern Penn
Location Evanston, IL Philadelphia, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 23,161 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #15 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website northwestern.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Northwestern Penn
Tuition (In State) $62,391 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $62,391 $56,212
Room & Board $19,440 $17,888
Avg Net Price $22,095 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $61,716 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 46%

Admission

Northwestern Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 51,261 54,588
Admitted 3,695 3,549
Acceptance Rate 7.2% 6.5%
Enrolled % 55.2% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 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 1, 2024 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

Northwestern Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Northwestern Penn
Graduation Rate 94% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $89,800 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 87% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,378 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $200 $213

Diversity

Northwestern Penn
% Men 46% 44%
% Women 54% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 45%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 11%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Northwestern Penn
% In-State 22% 16%
% Out-of-State 67% 67%

Campus

Northwestern 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 Northwestern based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 23,161 students)

Northwestern vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Penn?

  • Northwestern University is 11% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11% higher at Northwestern than University of Pennsylvania ($62,391.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Penn ($22,095 vs. $26,123)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 8.7% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($17,888 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than University of Pennsylvania (50% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 7.9% larger than aid received University of Pennsylvania ($61,716 vs. $57,175)

Northwestern vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 3 points higher than at Penn (1457)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Penn (33)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Northwestern (3.92)
  • Northwestern has a higher acceptance rate (7.2%) than Penn (6.5%)

Northwestern vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Northwestern University (96% vs. 94%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $33,800 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $89,800)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $1,255 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn graduates. ($19,378 vs. $20,633)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Penn graduates. ($200 vs. $213)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 84%)

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