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UT Dallas Texas A&M UTSA Princeton Michigan Duke Cornell SMU Harvard UT Arlington Florida Rice| University of Pennsylvania | The University of Texas at Austin | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
| Location | Philadelphia, PA | Austin, TX | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 28,711 | 53,082 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #23 | #105 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | upenn.edu | utexas.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $58,620 | $11,678 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $58,620 | $42,778 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,496 | $14,136 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,017 | $18,036 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $59,721 | $12,060 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 47% |
Admission |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 59,465 | 66,109 | ||
| Admitted | 3,489 | 19,253 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.9% | 29.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 69.2% | 48.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.95 | 3.8 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | High | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 27/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1570 | 1230/1490 | ||
| 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 5, 2026 | Dec 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $123,600 | $68,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 84% | 77% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,633 | $22,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $213 | $230 |
Diversity |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 26% | 10% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 44% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 22% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 9% | ||
Campus |
Penn | UT Austin | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- The University of Texas at Austin is larger than than Penn based on total student enrollment (53,082 students vs. 28,711 students)
Penn vs. UT Austin Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn or UT Austin?
- University of Pennsylvania is 402% more expensive to attend than UT Austin for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $11,678.00)
- Out of state tuition is 37% higher at Penn than The University of Texas at Austin ($58,620.00 vs. $42,778.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas at Austin than Penn ($18,036 vs. $26,017)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at Austin are 30.8% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($14,136 vs. $18,496)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pennsylvania than The University of Texas at Austin (48% vs. 47%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 395.2% larger than aid received The University of Texas at Austin ($59,721 vs. $12,060)
Penn vs. UT Austin Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn or UT Austin? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UT Austin or Penn .
- The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 160 points higher than at UT Austin (1297)
- Incoming Penn students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UT Austin (29)
- Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at UT Austin (3.8)
- UT Austin has a higher acceptance rate (29.1%) than Penn (5.9%)
Penn vs. UT Austin Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn or UT Austin? 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 UT Austin and Penn.
- The graduation rate at Penn is higher than The University of Texas at Austin (96% vs. 81%)
- Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $55,000 more per year than UT Austin graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $68,600)
- University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,617 lower median federal student loan debt than UT Austin graduates. ($20,633 vs. $22,250)
- Penn graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than UT Austin graduates. ($213 vs. $230)
- More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT Austin students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 77%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/