Philadelphia, PA · 10.7k students
Trajecta score
+0.3 since '20Ranked #11 of 2,375
5-year trend
84.0 · #6
2020
88.0 · #8
2021
84.5 · #19
2022
83.4 · #25
2023
84.3 · #23
2024
Academic Profile
97/ 100
Career Outcomes
94/ 100
Student Success
98/ 100
Affordability
60/ 100
Academic Investment
99/ 100
Access & Equity
49/ 100
Academic Profile
97
Career Outcomes
94
Student Success
98
Affordability
60
Academic Investment
99
Access & Equity
49
AI Fit Analysis
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See how your profile stacks up at University of Pennsylvania — predicted chances, program fit, and a personalized application strategy.
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Cost / Net Price
$89k / $29k
SAT Avg
1,553
Retention
99%
Grad Rate
97%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$68,686
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$68,686
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
17%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
10%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$15,715
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
3.90
average high school GPA of enrolled freshmen · 91% reporting
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what University of Pennsylvania reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Very Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Important | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Considered | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Very Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Not Considered | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Important | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Important | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Not Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2025-26
school's admissions site ↗Thank-you note
Required150-200 wordsWrite a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!)
Community at Penn
Required150-200 wordsHow will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn.
School-Specific: School of Nursing
RequiredChoose 1150-200 wordsWhy have you decided to apply to Nursing? Where do you see yourself professionally in the future and how will you contribute to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare?
School-Specific: College of Arts and Sciences
RequiredChoose 1150-200 wordsWhat are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences?
School-Specific: The Wharton School
RequiredChoose 1150-200 wordsPlease reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.
School-Specific: School of Engineering and Applied Science
RequiredChoose 1150-200 wordsPlease share how you plan to pursue your engineering interests at Penn, particularly within the intended major you selected.
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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