18 June 2026: QS World University Rankings 2027 has been released on 18 June 2026. University of Pennsylvania is ranked #15 among 1,500+ universities. Check out QS World University Rankings 2027 trend analysis
University of Pennsylvania [UPenn]: Rankings, Courses, Admissions 2023, Tuition Fee & Scholarships
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League school established in 1740. As of 2022, UPenn is home to 28,000+ students including 13% international student population. UPenn graduate courses are quite popular, most of all, its courses offered by the School of Arts and Science, Wharton B-School, and School of Engineering. UPenn admissions are highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of 5.9%. Students with a high GPA of 3.9/4 (94%) or above have a higher chance of being selected.
For Indian students, the cost of attendance at University of Pennsylvania is of an average of 64 lakhs INR, covering tuition fees and living expenses in Philadelphia. While financial aid is limited, international students can participate in work-study programs and part-time jobs. With close proximity to New York City, UPenn students can secure positions in prestigious companies such as Deloitte, IBM, and JP Morgan.
University of Pennsylvania boasts notable alumni including Donald Trump, Anil Ambani, and Elon Musk. Indian students can benefit from the university's Indian Center, which provides support for research opportunities and scholarships. UPenn has a strong relationship with alumni groups in India, including the five Penn Clubs and the four Alumni Interview Committees.
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University of Pennsylvania Rankings
The University of Pennsylvania is the top-ranked university in Pennsylvania. According to the 2022-2023 US News rankings, the University of Pennsylvania is ranked #18 in Best Value Schools and #59 in Most Innovative Schools, highlighting its commitment to providing quality education and fostering innovation. Some of the top rankings of UPenn are mentioned below.
| Ranking Agency | Ranking 2023 |
|---|---|
| QS World University Rankings | #13 |
| Best Global Universities US News | #15 |
| World University Rankings THE | #12 |
| Best Colleges is National Universities, US News | #7 |
UPenn College Ranking Comparisons
University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University are three consecutive popular universities. A brief comparison of top ranking subjects by QS are tabulated below.
| Program | University of Pennsylvania | Carnegie Mellon University | Columbia University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business & Management | 7 | 79 | 22 |
| Accounting & Finance | 8 | 92 | 12 |
| Psychology | 11 | 37 | 12 |
| Law and Legal Studies | 27 | - | 8 |
| Engineering | 29 | 18 | 68 |
University of Pennsylvania is often compared with these universities. Find out more about the comparisons below.
University of Pennsylvania Admissions
To secure University of Pennsylvania admissions, students must submit competitive scores of standardized tests in USA. Admission requirements for Indian students are mentioned below.
University of Pennsylvania UG Admission
| Category | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Application Portal | Common Application |
| Application Fee | 75 USD (5,921 INR) |
| Academic Requirement | Minimum GPA of 3.0/4 (83-86%) |
| English proficiency test scores | TOEFL iBT- 100 | IELTS- 7.0 |
| Standardized Exam Scores | SAT score 1490- 1560 | ACT score of 35 |
| Additional Requirement | 2 Letters of recommendation | Essay | Interview or portfolio ( By invitation) | Financial statement |
University of Pennsylvania PG Admission
| Category | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Application Portal | UPenn Applyweb |
| Application Fee | PG: 90 USD (7,110 INR) | MBA: 275 USD (21,726 INR) |
| GPA Requirement | Recommended- GPA score of 3.9/4 (94%) |
| English proficiency test scores | ITOEFL iBT- 100 | IELTS- 7.0 |
| Standardized Exam Scores | Average GMAT- 733 | Average GRE- 324 |
| Additional Requirement | 2 Essays + 1 optional essay | 2 LOR’s | Interview (By Invite) | Resume | Work experience- Average 5 years (for MBA students ) |
For more information about MBA admission, check out: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Acceptance Rate
UPenn admission process is extremely selective with an acceptance rate of 5.9%. The university currently houses 28,000+ students. The total student population comprises 23,030 full-time and 5,008 part-time students. In Fall 2021, 6,392 international students were admitted to UPenn overall. Out of all 40% of them hailed from Asian countries. The undergraduate international acceptance rate was only 3.2% for that period.
University of Pennsylvania Campus
The university is located in the city of Philadelphia, which is easily commutable to areas like New York City and Washington DC. University of Pennsylvania campuses are spread across 3 locations – University city campus; New Bolton Center; Morris Arboretum.
- The university is near to attractions like Arthur Ross Gallery, Annenberg centre, Institute of contemporary art, Morris, Arboretum, Rocky statue, and Philadelphia Museum of Art.
- Students can go to shopping centres like Amazon, ACME markets, and Urban Outfitters. Also, the university is located near restaurants like Au Bon Pain, Baby Blues BBQ, Ben & Jerry's, and Dunkin Donuts.
- Various types of sports facilities are available at UPenn campus, like cricket, hockey, football, tennis, baseball, and badminton.
- UPenn Campus arranges for intercollegiate competitions in 17 sports events for men and 16 for women. More than 60 academically-based community service courses are taught on campus each year.
- Around 14,000 university students, faculty members and staff participate in more than 300 Penn volunteer and community service agendas.
- Students can commute through Penn Transit services, Penn Buses, Penn Shuttles, Ride Sharing, Carpooling, and Bicycling.
University of Pennsylvania Accommodation
Students can choose to stay both on-campus and off-campus. University of Pennsylvania accommodation facilities are available for both on-campus and off-campus are mentioned below.
On-Campus Accommodation
The university offers housing facilities to approximately 5,500 undergraduate students. Also, 500 graduate students are offered on-campus residence facilities. The university has 12 undergraduate houses and one Samson palace for graduate students.
The average cost of staying in university-provided student housing in USA ranges from around 11,000 – 13,000 USD (~8.1-9.6 Lakh INR). Graduate housing rates for 2022-2023 are tabulated below.
| Graduate Housing Type | Cost per Month (USD) | Cost per Month (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Single Room (1 Bedroom & Shared Bath) | 1,117 | 92 Thousand |
| Triple (3 Bedrooms & Bath) | 1,117 | 92 Thousand |
| Double (2 Bedrooms, Kitchen & Bath) | 1,242 | 1.02 lakhs |
| Single Apartment (1 Bedroom, Living Room, Kitchen & Bath) | 1,864 | 1.54 lakhs |
| Graduate Plus Other (Spouse or Partner) | 1,988 | 1.64 lakhs |
Off-Campus Accommodation
The cost of finding an apartment nearby ranges between 4.5 lakhs- 8.5 lakhs. Students can choose to live on a sharing basis. The basic amenities available in off-campus accommodation are information centers, 24-hour security, a room with a bedroom, electronic locks to the buildings, free laundry, free wifi, free cable tv, mail, and package rooms.
| Accommodation | Average Rent (USD/Year) | Average Rent (INR/Year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | 9,612 | 7.84 lakhs |
| 2 Bedroom | 6,347 | 5.18 lakhs |
| 3 Bedroom | 5,767 | 4.70 lakhs |
| 4 Bedroom | 5,715 | 4.66 lakhs |
Students looking for off-campus housing can check here.
University of Pennsylvania Cost of Attendance
Average University of Pennsylvania cost of the study is 64 lakhs – 66 lakhs per year. The university has different costs of attendance for undergraduate students and graduate students. A brief of the University of Pennsylvania fees for Indian students is mentioned below.
UPenn Top Program Tuition
University of Pennsylvania courses are offered in 91 majors and 93 minors. The university also has 120+ graduate majors. UPenn courses are also popular for their 30 online and hybrid programs and 74 certificate programs.
UPenn Cost of Living
| Category | Annual Cost in USD | Annual Cost in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 13,405 | 7.79 lakhs |
| Dining | 6,973 | 4.05 lakhs |
| Books & Supplies | 1,358 | 1.05 lakhs |
| Transportation | 1,381 | 0.80 lakhs |
| Personal Expenses | 2,673 | 1.55 lakhs |
| Health Insurance | 4,030 | 64.33 lakhs |
University of Pennsylvania Scholarships
46% of the undergraduate students received University of Pennsylvania grant-based scholarships. University of Pennsylvania offers 56,000 USD on average as scholarships. UPenn has awarded scholarships in USA worth 2 billion USD to more than 22,000 students as part of undergraduate aid since 2004.
| Scholarship Program | Eligibility | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Dean’s Scholarship | For master’s students | 10,000 USD |
| The Foreign Fulbright Student Program | For all master's students receiving Fulbright Fellowship offers | 15,000 USD |
| Federal Pell Grant | Need-base for undergraduates | Tuition Fee waivers up to 8 semesters |
| Named Scholarships | On the basis of Alumni’s region and residence | Varies |
| International Student Financial Aid | International students need to apply for the scholarship while taking admission | 100% of need will be fulfilled through grants and work-study programs |
UPenn has designed its work-study programs, especially for the students who are not eligible for US federal funds. Also, the students are allowed to work for 20 hours a week when classes are in session and 40 hours a week when classes are off. Explore: Part-time Jobs in USA!
University of Pennsylvania Notable Alumni
The University of Pennsylvania Alumni Association is a global community of over 300,000 alumni that is dedicated to supporting the University and its graduates. One of the primary goals of the Alumni Association is to help alumni stay connected to each other and to the University. The Alumni Association also offers a variety of resources to help alumni achieve their personal and professional goals. University of Pennsylvania offers various benefits to alumni. Some of the benefits include-
- Discounts in insurance
- Entertainment discounts
- Retail discounts
- Educational discounts
- Additional Penn discounts
- A Penncard for the alumni.
University of Pennsylvania Notable Alumni
| Alumni Name | Profession | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | Businessman/Politician | 45th President of the United States, CEO of The Trump Organization |
| Anil Ambani | Businessman | Chairman of Reliance Group, one of the largest conglomerates in India |
| Elon Musk | Entrepreneur/Inventor | CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, The Boring Company |
| Elizabeth Banks | Actress/Producer/Director | Starred in "The Hunger Games" and "Pitch Perfect" franchises, directed "Charlie's Angels" (2019) |
| Warren Buffet | Investor/Businessman | Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, one of the most successful investment firms in the world |
| Jennifer Egan | Writer | Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "A Visit from the Goon Squad" and "Manhattan Beach" |
University of Pennsylvania Placements
78% of undergraduate students at University of Pennsylvania get jobs after graduating from university. Apart from this, 80% of graduates get job offers after graduation. Median salary for the graduates tends to be around 84,500 USD (67.34 lakhs). Some of the top recruiters at university are Accenture, BCG, Bain & Co., Deloitte, Mckinsey & Co., EY Parthenon, PWC, Tesla. Most of the students got job placements during on-campus interviews. Career Service Resources also played a major role.
Source@ https://careerservices.upenn.edu/post-graduate-outcomes/undergraduate-first-destinations/
Explore: High-Paying Jobs in USA!
As per the university record, majority of the graduates are getting employed in Healthcare sector. Also, 22% of them are choosing higher education over a job offer. University of Pennsylvania graduate employment percentages as per industries are represented below.
| Industry | Employment Percentage |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | 45% |
| Research | 10% |
| Legal & Law Enforcement | 6% |
| Government | 4% |
| Aerospace & Automotive | 4% |
| Information Technology | 2% |
| Biotech | 2% |
| Commercial Banking & Financial Services | 4% |
| Higher Education | 22% |
UPenn MBA Placements
Among University of Pennsylvania MBA graduates of the class of 2021, 30% are international students representing 63 countries. Their destinations after graduation are as follows.
- 99% of students got job offers
- 96.8% of them accepted the job offers
- 2.7% of the total students decided to start their own business
- 12.3% returned to their previous company.
Source@https://statistics.mbacareers.wharton.upenn.edu
UPenn is one of the top colleges in the USA and is rich in several programs across the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The university has produced a huge number of professional, social and cultural leaders across numerous fields. UPenn graduates are hired by various companies offering lucrative salary packages and excellent growth opportunities. These factors collectively make the university a coveted place for education for students planning to study in the USA.
Want to have a student perspective on University of Pennsylvania? Collegedunia reached out to Debadeepta Tagore a student of MS in Electrical Engineering at University of Pennsylvania. Mentioned below are the major points of interest we gathered by interviewing him:
FAQs
Ques: How much does a UPenn MBA graduate earn?
Ans: The graduates completing MBA in USA from the university have received job offers among which 91.6% have accepted the job offers, while the rest opted for startup programs. The average salary of MBA graduates is 183,000 USD per annum.
Ques: Is UPenn student friendly?
Ans: Students at UPenn are really hard working and competitive at the same time. Some students at university are friendly whereas some can be really competitive in terms of academics.
Ques: What is UPenn famous for?
UPenn is highly recognised for its schools like Wharton School, School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Law School and School of Medicine. Some other graduate schools are School of Design and School of Dental Medicine.
Ques: How prestigious is the University of Pennsylvania?
Ans: UPenn is one of the best institutions to study in the US. It ranks in the 2nd tier of the Most Prestigious Schools in the USA. In 2023, QS world Rankings ranked UPenn #13 in global universities. Qs has also ranked the university at #10 in US Universities. In 2021, over 6,000 international students chose UPenn for their higher studies.
Ques: What are the best programs to study in UPenn?
Ans: UPenn is popularly known for its MBA program. Some other highly ranked programs are MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Engineering, MSc in Robotics, MSc in Nursing and online courses.
Ques: Does University of Pennsylvania provides financial aid to international students?
Ans: Yes. UPenn provides many scholarships to international students. There are scholarships like – Dean’s Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant, and International Students Financial Aids granting up to 100% tuition fees for 8 semesters. There are also work while study programs specially for international studnets.
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College Faculty
Total Faculty: 4392
Part Time: 0
Full Time: 0
Graduate Assistants: 0
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