University of Pennsylvania: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
University of Pennsylvania is a private nonprofit college in Philadelphia, PA. Students pay about $28,699 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $111,371 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 2 years and adds $516,199 over a decade, ranking it #10 of 918 (top 2%) by value added.
What is University of Pennsylvania's acceptance rate?
University of Pennsylvania has an acceptance rate of 5.4%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in Philadelphia, PA enrolling about 10,650 students, with a 96.7% graduation rate.
How much does University of Pennsylvania cost?
University of Pennsylvania costs about $28,699 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $130,511. Published sticker cost of attendance is $89,028 per year.
How much do University of Pennsylvania graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Pennsylvania student earns $111,371 per year. That is $64,671 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is University of Pennsylvania worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
University of Pennsylvania pays back its roughly $130,511 cost in about 2 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $516,199 net of cost, a 4.96x return on the money invested. That ranks it #10 of 918 (top 2%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
University of Pennsylvania graduation rate and student debt
96.7% of University of Pennsylvania students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $15,715 in federal student debt. That debt is about 14% of one year of median graduate earnings.
University of Pennsylvania by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How University of Pennsylvania compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $28,699 | $20,299 | cheaper than 21% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $111,371 | $54,768 | 99th |
| Graduation rate | 96.7% | 57.0% | 100th |
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% | 75.7% | more selective than 99% |
| 10-yr value added | $516,199 | -$28,192 | 99th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 4.96x | 0.73x | 97th |
| Payback period | 2 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 97% |
How University of Pennsylvania compares with its nearest rivals
University of Pennsylvania ranks #10 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 2 of them cost less per year and 2 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
University of Pennsylvania is a private nonprofit college in Philadelphia, PA with 10,650 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $89,028 a year, but the average aided family pays $28,699, a 68% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $15,715, equal to 14% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at University of Pennsylvania: 5.4% of applicants are admitted.
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (Atlanta, GA; #10 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $16,583 less per year ($12,116 net), and its graduates earn $8,599 less ten years out ($102,772). University of Pennsylvania adds $25,615 more ten-year value than Georgia Institute of Technology. Georgia Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 1.3 years.
- Bentley University (Waltham, MA; #9 of 918; 87.5% graduate) costs $9,231 more per year ($37,930 net), and its graduates earn $9,588 more ten years out ($120,959). Bentley University adds $49,648 more ten-year value than University of Pennsylvania. Bentley University pays back its cost in 2.4 years.
- Harvard University (Cambridge, MA; #11 of 918; 97.5% graduate) costs $9,633 less per year ($19,066 net), and its graduates earn $9,554 less ten years out ($101,817). University of Pennsylvania adds $55,293 more ten-year value than Harvard University. Harvard University pays back its cost in 1.6 years.
- Babson College (Wellesley, MA; #8 of 918; 92.7% graduate) costs $11,815 more per year ($40,514 net), and its graduates earn $12,567 more ten years out ($123,938). Babson College adds $74,125 more ten-year value than University of Pennsylvania. Babson College pays back its cost in 2.4 years.
- Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA; #12 of 918; 93.3% graduate) costs about the same per year ($28,849 net), and its graduates earn $6,635 less ten years out ($104,736). University of Pennsylvania adds $64,735 more ten-year value than Claremont McKenna College. Claremont McKenna College pays back its cost in 2.2 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babson College | #8 | $40,514 | $123,938 | 92.7% | $590,324 |
| Bentley University | #9 | $37,930 | $120,959 | 87.5% | $565,847 |
| University of Pennsylvania | #10 | $28,699 | $111,371 | 96.7% | $516,199 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | #10 | $12,116 | $102,772 | 93.2% | $490,584 |
| Harvard University | #11 | $19,066 | $101,817 | 97.5% | $460,906 |
| Claremont McKenna College | #12 | $28,849 | $104,736 | 93.3% | $451,464 |
University of Pennsylvania and Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus share rank #10: University of Pennsylvania was added after the 918-college snapshot was ranked and is placed against it without renumbering, so existing ranks stay stable.
Paying for University of Pennsylvania
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is University of Pennsylvania worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, University of Pennsylvania ranks #10 of 918 (top 2%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 4.96x the money invested over a decade.
Is University of Pennsylvania expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $28,699 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 21% of them.
Do University of Pennsylvania graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $111,371 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 99% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into University of Pennsylvania compared to other colleges?
Its 5.4% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 99% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.