University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 5.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 97/100 · Exceptional Value
Penn scores 97 (Exceptional Value) -- tied with Yale in this cohort, with a 3.3-year payback period that is the second fastest after Harvard (3.2). Median 6-year earnings reach $91,200 -- comparable to Harvard ($91,300) and substantially above Yale ($67,800). Completion rate of 96.5% is strong. Median debt of $15,715 is moderate. Computer and Information Sciences (177 graduates) leads by year-one earnings at $146,204 and $241,380 year-four, the highest four-year figure in this cohort's comparable CIS/CS programs. Penn's Wharton School is the primary ROI driver that the aggregate data partially captures: Finance and Financial Management (62 graduates) earns $122,698 year-one and $202,069 year-four. Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (200 graduates) earns $104,502 year-one and $153,279 year-four. Penn is the only Ivy with an undergraduate business school of Wharton's size and placement depth, and the finance-to-NYC pipeline is the most direct in this cohort. The Penn credential across schools (Wharton, SEAS, SAS, Nursing) does concentrated economic work in finance, consulting, and healthcare -- the aggregate earnings figures reflect all four schools, but the Wharton premium is the dominant signal.
Graduates recoup their total investment in just 3.3 years. The national average for 4-year schools is closer to 8-10 years.
University of Pennsylvania
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $68,686/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $68,686/yr |
| Average net price | $28,699/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $114,796 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $111,371 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $91,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,715 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $167 |
| Estimated payback period | 3.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 96.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 10,650 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at University of Pennsylvania is $68,686/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $28,699/year, or roughly $114,796 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of -$3,012/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $55,972/year. The school provides substantial aid to low-income students, making it significantly more affordable than the sticker price suggests.
The median graduate leaves with $15,715 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $167 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $111,371 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.17 - well within manageable territory.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | -$3,012 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $316 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,439 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $25,476 |
| $110,001+ | $55,972 |
Low-income students may receive more in grants than the cost of attendance, resulting in a negative net price.
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 have a net price of -$3,012 at Penn -- the most negative in this cohort, meaning grants exceed cost of attendance by $3,012. The 30001-48000 bracket is $316 per year. Penn's financial aid for low-income families is the most aggressive in this eight-school group at these income levels. For admitted low-income students, Penn provides the highest effective grant coverage in the cohort.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket rises to $10,439 -- the first significant net price in Penn's schedule, higher than MIT ($1,480), Chicago ($226), or Harvard ($2,091) at the same tier. The 75001-110000 bracket reaches $25,476 -- the highest net price in this cohort for that income band. Penn's middle-income aid structure is less generous than several peers at these brackets. Families earning $48,000-$110,000 will find Penn among the more expensive options in this group, despite the $68,686 sticker price.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $55,972 per year at Penn -- the highest full-pay figure in this cohort. Four-year total approaches $224,000. Against a 3.3-year payback and $91,200 median 6-year earnings, the full-pay math works for Wharton-track graduates entering finance and consulting. For students in lower-earning tracks -- nursing ($80,943 year-one), communication ($53,022), or English ($40,967) -- the payback against $224,000 is long. Penn's full-pay premium is justified by specific high-earning pipelines; it is not uniformly justified across all programs.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Pennsylvania with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | $129,985 | A |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $153,279 | A |
| Registered Nursing | $98,475 | B+ |
| Philosophy | $107,454 | B+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $241,380 | A |
| Biology | $68,435 | C+ |
| International Relations | $93,033 | A |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $78,295 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $136,806 | A |
| Computer Science | $124,678 | A |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences is Penn's highest-earning program: 177 graduates, $146,204 year-one and $241,380 year-four -- the highest four-year figure for CS/CIS in this entire cohort. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.103 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $15,000. Penn CIS graduates enter software engineering, quantitative finance, and data science at major technology and financial firms. The $241k four-year figure reflects equity compensation and promotion velocity at top-tier employers, combined with Penn's specific recruiting networks in New York finance and Silicon Valley technology. This is among the most defensible CIS ROI cases in the dataset.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (62 graduates) is a Wharton flagship: $122,698 year-one and $202,069 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.105 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $12,865 -- among the lowest program debt in Penn's dataset. Wharton finance graduates go directly into investment banking, private equity, and asset management at the highest-recruiting firms globally. The year-one figure of $122k is the highest in this cohort for a finance major, and the year-four figure of $202k reflects the compensation trajectory in investment banking and early private equity. The Wharton credential operates as a near-direct credential in the bulge-bracket banking recruiting process.
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (200 graduates) earns $104,502 year-one and $153,279 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.151 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $15,750. This program captures Wharton students with quantitative concentrations -- operations, statistics, decision processes, and analytics. The year-one figure of $104k reflects placement into consulting, operations strategy, and financial analytics roles. The four-year trajectory to $153k shows mid-career progression in Wharton-branded roles where the quantitative methods credential adds specific hiring value.
Economics
Economics (238 graduates) earns $89,097 year-one and $129,985 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.157 (ROI grade A) with median debt of $14,000. Penn economics (in SAS, not Wharton) places into consulting, finance, and graduate study. The year-one figure of $89k is slightly below Duke economics ($98k) and Harvard ($103k), but above Yale ($82k) -- reflecting Penn's Wall Street pipeline for SAS economics graduates operating somewhat in the shadow of Wharton's more direct finance placement. The four-year figure of $129k is competitive.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (183 graduates) is the second-largest program at Penn by volume: $80,943 year-one and $98,475 year-four. Debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.308 (ROI grade B+) with median debt of $24,945. Penn Nursing is one of the most recognized nursing programs in the country, and graduates enter acute care, critical care, and hospital administration roles with a Penn credential that carries specific weight in Philadelphia's dense healthcare market. The year-one figure of $80k is competitive for nursing nationally. The debt load of $24,945 is higher than Penn's other programs and warrants consideration in the overall ROI calculation.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 87.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 90.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 89.3% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 90.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 5.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 770-800 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 740-770 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 34-36 |
| Enrollment | 10,650 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 16.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $22,117 |
Penn admits 5.4% of applicants across all four schools. SAT Math 770-800 and Reading 740-770 are mid-ranges; ACT 34-36. Wharton is the most competitive school to admit into, with an estimated acceptance rate below the institutional average. Students applying to Wharton who do not clearly articulate a specific interest in business and finance will be at a disadvantage relative to applicants who have internships, competition experience, or demonstrated quantitative work. SEAS admits on engineering accomplishment; SAS on general academic strength. The four-school structure means application strategy matters: students should apply to the school that best fits their interests, not the school they perceive as less competitive.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Penn's Scorecard peers include Columbia (ROI 96), Northwestern (ROI listed separately), Vanderbilt (ROI 93), and two small Pennsylvania schools. Among meaningful comparables, Penn (97) scores above Columbia (96) and Vanderbilt (93). Columbia's payback of 3.4 years is slightly slower than Penn's 3.3; Columbia's median debt ($21,500) is higher than Penn's ($15,715). Vanderbilt scores five points below Penn with lower median earnings. Penn's median 6-year earnings of $91,200 are the second-highest in this cohort (behind Harvard's $91,300), driven by the Wharton finance and consulting pipelines. The full-pay cost of $224,000 is the highest in the cohort -- high-income families at Penn are paying the most for the fastest non-MIT payback in the group.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania (this school) | 97 | $28,699 | $111,371 |
| Vanderbilt University | 97 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | 96 | $21,590 | $102,491 |
| Northwestern University | 94 | $29,167 | $89,363 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
Who Thrives Here
Penn admits 5.4% of applicants -- the same rate as Dartmouth, toward the lower-selectivity end of this cohort but still highly selective nationally. SAT mid-ranges are 770-800 Math and 740-770 Reading; ACT 34-36 composite. At 10,650 undergraduates, Penn is the largest school in this cohort. Pell rate of 16.5% is in the middle of the group. Penn's four schools -- Wharton (business), SEAS (engineering), SAS (liberal arts), and Nursing -- serve different student populations with different expectations and career pipelines. Wharton applicants self-select for finance and consulting careers; SEAS applicants for engineering and tech; SAS for everything else; Nursing for healthcare. Students applying to Penn should think in terms of which school they are targeting, not Penn as a single institutional fit.
The Verdict: The Investment Pays Off
University of Pennsylvania is one of the strongest financial investments in higher education. With a total 4-year net cost of $114,796 and median graduate earnings of $111,371 ten years out, the math works decisively in graduates' favor. The estimated payback period of 3.3 years is well below average.
The data highlights several strengths: strong earnings premium over high school graduates, a 96.5% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings, high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $15,715 is very manageable against $111,371 in annual earnings - well within the financial advisor rule of thumb that total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
New analyses, updated school profiles, and tools - when there’s something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.