PlainCollege

University of Pennsylvania vs Northwestern University

Philadelphia, PA · Evanston, IL · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair PA:IL

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

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE PA × IL
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-PAR Net near-par
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-PAR Debt near-par
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

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

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

  • Northwestern University: acceptance rate tightened -53.3% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.86).
  • University of Pennsylvania: acceptance rate tightened -52.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • 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).
  • Northwestern University: net price ranged $23,279–$28,544 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change -4.9% is not a trend (r² 0.16).

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. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: University of Pennsylvania vs Northwestern University

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE University of Pennsylvania leads on acceptance rate (5.4% vs 7.7% at Northwestern University)
  2. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(1 University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (10 yr) ($111,371 vs $89,363 at Northwestern University)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($90,555 vs $76,844 at Northwestern University)

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

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University?▼
University of Pennsylvania leads on acceptance rate at 5.4% versus 7.7% at Northwestern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (10 yr), who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University?▼
University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (10 yr) at $111,371 versus $89,363 at Northwestern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University?▼
University of Pennsylvania leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $90,555 versus $76,844 at Northwestern University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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