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University of Pennsylvania vs Vanderbilt University
Odds, test scores, cost, aid and graduation rates, side by side from each school's own Common Data Set. Add more schools
Getting in
Acceptance rate4.9%5.4%
Early decision rate13.3%14.1%
SAT middle 50%~1510–15701510–1560
ACT middle 50%34–3534–35
Applicant reports on our site1,224781
Cost and aid
Tuition$65,670$69,822
Food and housing—$23,690
Sticker price per year—$96,896
Average need-based grant$70,867$77,563
Average % of need met100%100%
Outcomes
First-year retention98.6%97%
6-year graduation rate96.9%92.6%
Undergraduates9,9897,366
Best value in each row is highlighted. Sticker price uses out-of-state tuition for public universities and leaves out books, travel and aid. "—" means the school left the item blank in its Common Data Set.
University of Pennsylvania or Vanderbilt University?
Is University of Pennsylvania harder to get into than Vanderbilt University?
They are about equally selective: University of Pennsylvania admitted 4.9% of first-year applicants (2025-26) and Vanderbilt University admitted 5.4% (2025-26).
What SAT scores do University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University students have?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored about 1510–1570 at University of Pennsylvania and 1510–1560 at Vanderbilt University.
Does University of Pennsylvania or Vanderbilt University have a higher graduation rate?
96.9% of University of Pennsylvania students graduate within six years, compared with 92.6% at Vanderbilt University.
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