Harvard University vs University of Pennsylvania

Cambridge, MA · Philadelphia, PA · largest Scorecard gap: avg net price

Scorecard match plate

Pair MA:PA

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-NET

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE MA × PA
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-NET Largest gap · Avg Net Price

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the TWIN-TIGHTEN · adm · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Both acceptance rates tightened, 2013–2023

TWIN-TIGHTEN · adm · 2013–2023

Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania each posted a directional decline in acceptance rate over the same College Scorecard window. The squeeze is shared; the magnitude is close.

  • University of Pennsylvania: acceptance rate tightened -52.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • Harvard University: acceptance rate tightened -40.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • Harvard University: net price ranged $13,259–$19,500 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change +19.7% is not a trend (r² 0.10).
  • University of Pennsylvania: net price ranged $14,851–$31,229 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change +36.1% is not a trend (r² 0.03).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair · 1 tied metrics omitted. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Harvard University vs University of Pennsylvania

  1. AVG-NET-PRICE Harvard University leads on avg net price ($19,066 vs $28,699 at University of Pennsylvania)
  2. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Harvard University leads on acceptance rate (3.6% vs 5.4% at University of Pennsylvania)
  3. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Harvard University leads on median debt at graduation ($14,000 vs $15,715 at University of Pennsylvania)

Harvard University profile · University of Pennsylvania profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Avg Net Price and other Scorecard questions

On avg net price, who leads between Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania?▼
Harvard University leads on avg net price at $19,066 versus $28,699 at University of Pennsylvania. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On acceptance rate, who leads between Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania?▼
Harvard University leads on acceptance rate at 3.6% versus 5.4% at University of Pennsylvania. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median debt at graduation, who leads between Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania?▼
Harvard University leads on median debt at graduation at $14,000 versus $15,715 at University of Pennsylvania. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); avg net price focus for this pair · 2025