UPenn: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit · Most selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Tests required
- Early Decision
- 72,544
- Applicants
- 3,570
- Admitted5%
- 2,420
- Enrolled
- 68%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Most selective5% admittedRanked #7 in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #26 (tie), Business Programs #1, Computer Science #17 (tie), Nursing #1 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of Pennsylvania (see the source), read on 2026-10-21. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
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UPenn is a private nonprofit university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that admits about 5% of applicants, making it a most selective school. The average family pays about $28,699 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Finance and Financial Management Services, Economics and Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 97% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 26.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UPenn is a private institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, UPenn admits fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 5%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1553 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,699 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UPenn right now
The University of Pennsylvania admitted 4.87% of applicants for the Class of 2029, accepting 3,530 students from a record 72,544 applications and enrolling 2,420 first-year students. Early Decision admitted roughly 1,235 students at about a 13% rate. The class includes about 21% first-generation college students, 24% from historically underrepresented backgrounds, and 13.6% international students from 49 U.S. states and 95 countries. This was the second full cycle in which Penn could not consider race in admissions following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling. Penn's distinctive academic strengths include the Wharton School, the world's first collegiate business school, founded in 1881, the Perelman School of Medicine, the first medical school in North America, and a strong tradition of interdisciplinary undergraduate study across its four undergraduate schools, where many students pursue dual-degree or coordinated programs such as the Vagelos Life Sciences and Management program or Huntsman in business and international studies. Penn's research expenditures of $2.172 billion in fiscal year 2024 rank second nationally, and the endowment stands at $24.808 billion as of June 2025. Recent campus news parents should be aware of: in December 2023 then-president Liz Magill and board chair Scott Bok resigned after congressional testimony about antisemitism, and a new permanent president has since taken office to lead Penn's response to ongoing federal scrutiny.
What GPA does my child need for UPenn?
59% of enrolled students at UPenn had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 3.9, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
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What does UPenn weight in admissions?
UPenn reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
5- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Character/personal qualities
Important
5- Class rank
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Considered
5- Standardized test scores
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
Not Considered
3- Interview
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UPenn typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–36. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | n/a |
| 50th percentile | 1553 |
| 75th percentile | n/a |
| % submitting SAT | 52% |
| 25th percentile | 34 |
| 50th percentile | 35 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 18% |
- • Tests required: Standardized test scores are part of the standard application package.
- • SAT or ACT required for 2026-27 (all first-year, international, homeschool, QuestBridge). Applicants facing hardship may submit a testing waiver.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UPenn's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 92% |
| Top 25% of class | 99% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| % submitting class rank | 23% |
How much does UPenn actually cost?
Published tuition is $68,686 for in-state students and $68,686 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $19,174 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $28,699 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 17% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $65,670 |
| Room and board | $20,604 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $28,699 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $70,867 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 16% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $33,655 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS Profile (incl. noncustodial parent)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $75 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UPenn
| Regular deadline | 1/5 |
| Notification date | Late March |
| Reply deadline | 5/1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| ED acceptance rate | 13% |
Will my child graduate from UPenn?
These predict outcomes at UPenn better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UPenn
The most popular undergraduate programs at UPenn, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Finance and Financial Management Services, Economics and Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. Across all programs, UPenn confers roughly 1,711 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Finance and Financial Management Services program report a median income of about $242,357 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 398 | $242,357 |
| Economics | 234 | $152,236 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 209 | n/a |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 206 | $114,013 |
| Philosophy | 202 | n/a |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 172 | $298,016 |
| Biology, General | 158 | $78,245 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 132 | $94,630 |
Is UPenn safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UPenn disclosed 285 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 26.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 43 violent offenses and 18 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UPenn?
About 56% of undergraduates at UPenn live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 19% of men join a fraternity and 17% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about
- Carnegie Mellon University12% acceptance
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus61% acceptance
- Lehigh University26% acceptance
- Drexel University79% acceptance
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus58% acceptance
- Temple University80% acceptance
- Villanova University27% acceptance
- Swarthmore College7% acceptance
Next steps for UPenn
Common questions parents ask about UPenn
What GPA do I need for UPenn?
59% of enrolled students at UPenn had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 3.9, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does UPenn typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–36.
How much does UPenn actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UPenn after grants and scholarships is $28,699 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $68,686. Budget against the net figure.
Is UPenn realistic for my child?
UPenn admits 5% of applicants, so 770–800 SAT Math is target range and below 770 is a reach. Then check the $28,699 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UPenn?
UPenn accepts about 5% of applicants out of roughly 72,544 who apply each year. That makes it a most selective school.
Is UPenn test-optional?
No. UPenn requires SAT or ACT scores for Fall 2027 applicants.
What is the graduation rate at UPenn?
About 97% of students at UPenn graduate within six years, and 86% finish in four years. 99% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at UPenn?
UPenn's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 13%, compared with its overall rate of 5%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
What does UPenn look for in applicants?
UPenn rates course rigor, GPA, the application essay and recommendations as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UPenn a public or private school, and where is it located?
UPenn is a private nonprofit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
What are the most popular majors at UPenn?
The largest undergraduate majors at UPenn by annual graduates are Finance and Financial Management Services, Economics and Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. The school awards about 1,711 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UPenn safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UPenn reported 285 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 26.8 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at UPenn?
At UPenn, 56% of undergraduates live on campus, 19% of men are in fraternities, 17% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of Pennsylvania, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers