The University of Pennsylvania, also known as Penn, is a private university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1740. It is the first university in America and the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the nation. Penn is also a member of the Ivy League. The university offers a wide variety of degrees and programs through the following academic divisions:
Penn's sports teams are nicknamed the Quakers. They participate in the Ivy League and Division I (Division I FCS for football) in the NCAA.

The school has a greater breadth of degree programs (majors) than most colleges of its size. The range of program offerings available from UPenn is especially impressive compared to its number of students. The school is known for its programs in business and management and real estate and construction management.
UPenn does not offer open admission. The school admitted just 17% of applicants in 2007-2008. Three quarters of students in 2007-2008 had SAT verbal scores of at least 650. Half of math SAT scores of accepted students fell between 680 and 780.
The school has a tenure system for senior faculty. The full-time faculty at UPenn is well-paid, which often goes with faculty quality.
The school had 23,980 enrolled students in 2007-2008.
UPenn offers dorm rooms to a higher percentage of its students than do most colleges. The school values student athletics, and belongs to the Ivy Group.
The school reports its educational mission is:
"Mission of the University
The University of Pennsylvania's roots are in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy. But Penn's reach spans the globe.
Faithful to the vision of the University's founder, Benjamin Franklin, Penn's faculty generate knowledge that is unconstrained by traditional disciplinary boundaries and spans the continuum from fundamental to applied. Through this new knowledge, the University enhances its teaching of both theory and practice, as well as the linkages between them.
Penn excels in instruction and research in the arts and sciences and in a wide range of professional disciplines. Penn produces future leaders through excellent programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels.
Penn inspires, demands, and thrives on excellence, and will measure itself against the best in every field or endeavor in which it participates.
Penn is proudly entrepreneurial, dynamically forging new connections and inspiring learning through problem-solving, discovery-oriented approaches.
Penn research and teaching encourage lifelong learning relevant to a changing global society.
Penn is a major urban university that is committed to strength and vitality in each of its communities. In this connection, Penn will:
Encourage, sustain, and reward its faculty; nurture, inspire, and challenge its students; and support and value its staff;
Strengthen and appreciate the diversity of its communities;
Support free expression, reasoned discourse, and diversity in ideas;
Pursue positive connections to the city, state, and region and a mission of service to its neighbors in West Philadelphia;
Develop and support its connections to alumni and friends; and
Foster the growth of humane values."
More complete details are provided below.
University Of Pennsylvania
1 College Hall 34th and Spruce Sts
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6303
General Phone: (215) 898-5000
http://www.upenn.edu
| General Category | Degrees | Most Common Majors [see all] |
|---|---|---|
| Business and Management | 1,658 | finance, business management, marketing, management sciences, sales and marketing, organizational behavior, accounting and finance, operations management, ... |
| Liberal Arts | 1,287 | economics, history, English, political science, liberal arts and sciences, international studies, international relations, anthropology, ... |
| Education and Teaching | 546 | ESL instruction, higher education administration, educational administration, education, school counseling, elementary school teaching, reading teaching, science teaching, ... |
| Medicine | 543 | medicine, dentistry, neuroscience, veterinary medicine, endodontology, public health courses, orthodontology, periodontics, ... |
| Engineering | 471 | electrical engineering, systems engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, various engineering courses, archeology, ... |
| Science | 418 | biology, chemistry, biotechnology, physics, call and molecular biology, biochemistry, epidemiology, biomedical sciences, ... |
| Law | 351 | law, comparative law, legal professions, advanced legal research |
| Nursing and Emergency Medicine | 308 | registered nursing, pediatric nursing, critical care nursing, neonatal nursing, nurse midwifery, nurse anesthetist, nursing administration, surgical nurse, ... |
| Therapy and Counseling | 301 | psychology, community health services, medical ethids, cognitive science, clinical social work, counseling psychology, child psychology |
| Architecture and Planning | 261 | architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, environmental design |
| Family and Social Work | 215 | social work, public administration, public policy analysis |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 163 | computer and info science, computer engineering, computer networking, computer graphics, artificial intelligence and robotics |
| Religion and Philosophy | 144 | general philosophy, philosophy, religion, Jewish studies |
| Media | 134 | communication studies |
| Medical Administration | 87 | health care administration, environmental health |
| Real Estate and Construction Management | 87 | real estate |
| Fine Arts | 76 | fine arts, art history and criticism |
| Mathematics | 48 | mathematics, statistics |
| Security and Law Enforcement | 35 | criminology |
| Conservation and Resource Management | 25 | environmental studies, natural resources management, environmental science, wetlands management |
| Drama and Performing Arts | 21 | drama |
| Art Studies | 16 | visual and performing arts |
| Music | 10 | music |
| Design | 4 | graphic design |
| Photography and Commercial Art | 0 | film studies |
Number of programs and degrees for UPenn in 2008-2009:
| Degree Level | Total Awarded | Number of Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Master's degree | 3,019 | 130 |
| Bachelor's degree | 2,766 | 93 |
| First-professional degree | 641 | 4 |
| Doctor's degree | 464 | 72 |
| Postbaccalaureate certificate | 255 | 19 |
| Post-master's certificate | 37 | 15 |
| First-professional certificate | 26 | 7 |
| Associate's degree | 1 | 4 |
In 2007-2008, UPenn had a total enrollment of 23,980 students (24,577 full-time equivalent).
Students in the Freshman Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Men | 47% |
| Women | 53% |
| Full-Time | 100% |
| Part-Time | 0% |
Students By Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 47% |
| Graduate | 44% |
| First Professional | 9% |
| Race | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 42% |
| Black | 6% |
| Hispanic | 4% |
| Asian | 12% |
| American Indian | 0% |
| Unknown | 23% |
| (Foreign Students) | 13% |
Students by Age:
| Age | Percent |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1% |
| 18-19 | 19% |
| 20-21 | 21% |
| 22-24 | 17% |
| 25-29 | 23% |
| 30-34 | 9% |
| 35-39 | 5% |
| 40-49 | 3% |
| 50-64 | 2% |
| 65+ | 0% |
Incoming (Freshman) Students by Place of Residence:
(From available data sampling)
| Residence | Percent |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 16% |
| (International Students) | 15% |
| New York | 11% |
| New Jersey | 11% |
| California | 8% |
| Maryland | 3% |
| Florida | 3% |
| Massachusetts | 3% |
| Connecticut | 2% |
| Texas | 2% |
| State unknown | 2% |
| Illinois | 2% |
| Ohio | 2% |
| Virginia | 2% |
| Georgia | 2% |
| Colorado | 1% |
| Michigan | 1% |
| Tennessee | 1% |
| North Carolina | 1% |
| Washington | 1% |
| Arizona | 1% |
| Wisconsin | 1% |
| Alabama | 1% |
| Washington, DC | 1% |
| Missouri | 1% |
Retention Rates (2007):
| Group | Returning From Previous Year |
|---|---|
| Full-Time | 98 % |
UPenn offers campus housing for 5,776 of its 24,577 (full-time) students. Freshmen are required to live on campus.
(Please refer to our profile of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for details about the area surrounding the campus. Also see our list of other Pennsylvania Colleges).
The school does not offer students a meal plan.
Acceptances:
| Group | Applicants | Accepted | Percent Accepted | Enrolled | Percent of Accepted Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 22,935 | 3,883 | 17% | 2,430 | 63% |
| Men | 11,651 | 1,840 | 16% | 1,132 | 62% |
| Women | 11,284 | 2,043 | 18% | 1,298 | 64% |
Standardized Test Scores:
| Test | 25th Percentile | 75th Percetile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Verbal | 650 | 740 |
| SAT Math | 680 | 780 |
| SAT Writing | 670 | 760 |
| ACT Verbal | 30 | 34 |
| ACT Math | 29 | 34 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 33 |
Application Requirements:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| GPA | required |
| Class Rank | required |
| High School Record | required |
| College Prep Program | recommended |
| Recommendations | required |
| Formal Demonstration of Competence | not required |
| Standardized Tests (SAT and/or ACT) | required |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting SAT | 94% |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting ACT | 33% |
| TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) | recommended |
Expenses and Financial Aid:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $ 37,526 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $ 37,526 |
| Room and board | $ 10,621 |
| Room charge | $ 6,640 |
| Board (meal plan) charge | $ 3,981 |
| Books and supplies | $ 1,050 |
| Other expenses | $ 2,102 |
Financial Aid:
UPenn participates in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. (The school's OPE ID is 337800)
UPenn has a tenure system for faculty.
Salaries for full-time faculty:
Full-Time Faculty (2008-2009):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor | academic year | 446 | $170,971 | 113 | $159,259 |
| Associate professor | academic year | 160 | $118,573 | 85 | $105,121 |
| Assistant professor | academic year | 144 | $103,469 | 108 | $90,188 |
| Instructor | academic year | 0 | * | 1 | * |
| Lecturer | academic year | 85 | $62,242 | 151 | $56,193 |
| All faculty total | academic year | 835 | $138,221 | 458 | $98,749 |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
Athletic Conferences:
| Sport | Conference |
|---|---|
| Football | Ivy Group |
| Basketball | Ivy Group |
| Baseball | Ivy Group |
| Track | Ivy Group |
ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
Architecture (BArch, BA/BS, MArch, MA/MS, PhD)
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Environmental Design/Architecture
Landscape Architecture (BS, BSLA, BLA, MSLA, MLA, PhD)
ART STUDIES
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Accounting
Accounting and Finance
Actuarial Science
Business Administration and Management, General
Business, Management, Marketing & Related Support Services, Other
E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce
Finance, General
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
Insurance
International Business/Trade/Commerce
Management Information Systems, General
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
Operations Management and Supervision
Organizational Behavior Studies
Public Finance
Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General
Transportation/Transportation Management
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Computer Engineering, General
Computer Graphics
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
Computer and Information Sciences, General
CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
Natural Resources Management and Policy
Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
EDUCATION AND TEACHING
Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
Curriculum and Instruction
Early Childhood Education and Teaching
Education, General
Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement
Educational Leadership and Administration, General
Educational Statistics and Research Methods
Elementary Education and Teaching
English/Language Arts Teacher Education
Foreign Language Teacher Education
Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
Mathematics Teacher Education
Reading Teacher Education
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
Secondary Education and Teaching
Social Studies Teacher Education
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor
ENGINEERING
Archeology
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
Engineering, Other
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Geological/Geophysical Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Systems Engineering
FAMILY AND SOCIAL WORK
Public Administration
Public Policy Analysis
Social Work
FINE ARTS
Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Fine/Studio Arts, General
LAW
Advanced Legal Research/Studies, Gen (LLM, MCL, MLI, MSL, JSD/SJD)
Comparative Law (LLM, MCL, JSD/SJD)
Law (LLB, JD)
Legal Professions and Studies, Other
LIBERAL ARTS
African Studies
African-American/Black Studies
American/United States Studies/Civilization
Anthropology
Classics/Classical Languages, Lit & Linguistics, General
Comparative Literature
Demography and Population Studies
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
East Asian Studies
Economics, General
English Language and Literature, General
English Language and Literature/Letters, Other
French Language and Literature
Geography, Other
German Language and Literature
Historic Preservation and Conservation
History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
History, General
History, Other
Humanities/Humanistic Studies
International Relations and Affairs
International/Global Studies
Italian Language and Literature
Latin American Studies
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Linguistics
Political Science and Government, General
Political Science and Government, Other
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other
Russian Language and Literature
Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
Social Sciences, General
Social Sciences, Other
Sociology
South Asian Studies
Spanish Language and Literature
Urban Studies/Affairs
Women's Studies
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics, General
Statistics, General
MEDIA
Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION
Environmental Health
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
MEDICINE
Advanced General Dentistry (Cert, MS, PhD)
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other
Dentistry (DDS, DMD)
Endodontics/Endodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
Medical Scientist (MS, PhD)
Medicine (MD)
Neuroscience
Oral Biology and Oral Pathology (MS, PhD)
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery (Cert, MS, PhD)
Orthodontics/Orthodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics (Cert, MS, PhD)
Periodontics/Periodontology (Cert, MS, PhD)
Public Health, Other
Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
NURSING AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Critical Care Nursing
Family Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery
Nursing Administration (MSN, MS, PhD)
Nursing, Other
Nursing/Registered Nurse (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN)
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
PHOTOGRAPHY AND COMMERCIAL ART
Film/Cinema Studies
REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Real Estate
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
Jewish/Judaic Studies
Philosophy
Philosophy, Other
Religion/Religious Studies
SCIENCE
Biochemistry
Biochemistry/Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Bioinformatics
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Biomathematics and Bioinformatics, Other
Biomedical Sciences, General
Biophysics
Biostatistics
Biotechnology
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
Chemistry, General
Environmental Biology
Epidemiology
Geology/Earth Science, General
Hydrology and Water Resources Science
Immunology
Natural Sciences
Parasitology
Pharmacology
Physics, General
SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Criminology
THERAPY AND COUNSELING
Bioethics/Medical Ethics
Clinical/Medical Social Work
Cognitive Science
Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling
Counseling Psychology
Developmental and Child Psychology
Psychology, General
(Details are provided further down on this page.)
What Sets UPenn Apart:
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of degree programs (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Salaries of full-time faculty (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Student SAT scores (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Selectivity (based on % of applicants accepted) (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Number of students (vs. all colleges) | Top 2% | ![]() ![]() |
| % of degrees in religion and philosophy (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 8% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in medicine (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 10% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in architecture and planning (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 16% | ![]() |
| Minority % of student body (for colleges of its size and type) | Top 17% | ![]() |
| Dorm rooms per full-time student (vs. all colleges) | Top 18% | ![]() |
| % of accepted students who choose to enroll (vs. colleges with similar degree levels) | Top 19% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in real estate and construction management (vs. colleges with similar degree levels) | Top 19% | ![]() |
| Faculty/student ratio (full-time) (vs. colleges of similar size) | Top 19% | ![]() |
| % of students from other states (for colleges of its size and type) | Top 20% | ![]() |
| % of degrees in business and management (vs. all colleges) | Top 20% | ![]() |
Notable:
Accepts some high school credits
Grants credits for AP courses
Offers distance learning
Career counseling
Career services
Student employment services
On-campus day care
Option to study abroad
Offers part-time study
On-campus library
Offers campus housing
Tenure system for quality teaching
Has ROTC (army, navy, air force)
Has hospital on campus
NCAA athletic conference member
Try our unique CollegeMatch™ tool to find schools similar to UPenn.
Click occupation names for extensive details, including salary and other job data.
(Based on an automated mapping of degrees popular at UPenn with government-defined occupation categories)
|
|
|
Career Stories from workers: daily activities, job tips, best/worst job aspects, training, etc.
Daily Career & Education News from our staff. We're an approved Google News provider!
Resource Center. A starting point for all CityTownInfo career and college resources.
Career Overviews of hundreds of careers: descriptions, salaries, forecasts, schools, more.
Best Careers Not Requiring Degrees: Good pay, job growth, low need for degrees.
Helpful Articles, many in "how-to" format; e.g., "How to Become a Chef".
These lists link to thousands of detailed school profiles.
Colleges by State. Nearly every college and trade school in the country.
Colleges Listed Alphabetically. About 7,000 colleges & trade schools, including online schools.
Colleges by Major City. Browse cities with multiple college options.
Online Colleges. Colleges with online degree programs.
Graduate Schools by State. Colleges offering graduate degree programs.
Graduate Schools by Major City. Find cities with multiple graduate school options.