Karia Kiritbhai Study Abroad Course Expert
Study Abroad Course Expert
Harvard University, situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the most highly valued private research universities in the world, with a student body of around 30,000 students. Admissions are very competitive, and its acceptance rate is 3%. Its strongest programs are Law, Business, Medicine, Government, and Computer Science. The graduation rate is very high at approximately 97–98% and graduates report early career salaries of about INR 82–89 lakhs per year ($98,000–106,000).
The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), located in Philadelphia, is a highly ranked Ivy League private research university with approximately 29,000 students. Admissions are also very competitive with an acceptance rate of 6%. Flagship programs are Business (Wharton), Medicine, Law, and Engineering. The graduation rate is about 95–96% and graduates tend to earn early career salaries of about INR 78–84 lakhs per year ($93,000–100,000).
| University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 7.9 Out of 10 | 10 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 14 Times Higher Education 2026 # 15 QS World University 2026 # 7 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 5 Times Higher Education 2026 # 5 QS World University 2026 # 1 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 38 for Engineering by Collegedunia.com 2026 # 27 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 11 for Medicine by Collegedunia.com 2026 | # 6 for Engineering by Collegedunia.com 2026 # 6 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 2 for Medicine by Collegedunia.com 2026 |
| Programs | UG Programs -63 PG Programs -71 Doctorate Programs -15 | UG Programs -40 PG Programs -53 Doctorate Programs -9 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.0 % | 3.0 % |
| Exam Score | Duolingo-120 GMAT-690 GRE-308 IELTS-6.5 TOEFL-80 | GMAT-620 GRE-300 IELTS-7 SAT-1470 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 53166 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 56786 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 18966 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 86926 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 71030 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 32724 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | University of Pennsylvania is one of the top private universities in Philadelphia, United States. It is ranked #13 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Average Salaries by Degree:
| Harvard University is one of the top private universities in Cambridge, United States. It is ranked #5 in QS World University Rankings 2023 and ranked #1 in US UNI.
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| application requirements | Academic transcripts; Proof of English language proficiency; 2-3 LORs; SOPs; Resume; Personal Statement; Standardized test scores; Additional requirements (Digital portfolios, Writing samples, Research statements, etc.); Interviews (if required). | Teacher Evaluation forms (as additional LORs); Sample of academic work, potfolio, music recordings, art work, etc (supplementary documents); IELTS/TOEFL; Standardized test scores |
| Campuses and B-Schools | The Wharton School | Harvard Law School Harvard Extension School Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Business School |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.8/10 Read 6 reviews | 7.2/10 Read 6 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 1 for Business by US News 2025 # 9 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 13 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 | # 1 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 6 for Business by US News 2025 # 7 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 135/160IELTS - 7.5/9TOEFL - 100/120 | Duolingo - 145/160GMAT - 740/800GRE - 326/340IELTS - 7.5/9PTE - 75/90TOEFL - 109/120 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Sep 3, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Oct 22, 2025 (Round 1 Interview Invitations for 2026 Intake) Dec 10, 2025 (Round 1 Decisions for 2026 Intake) Jan 6, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Feb 20, 2026 (Round 2 Interview Invitations for 2026 Intake) Mar 31, 2026 (Round 2 Decisions for 2026 Intake) Apr 1, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 17, 2026 (Round 3 Interview Invitations for 2026 Intake) May 12, 2026 (Round 3 Decisions for 2026 Intake) | Sep 3, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Dec 10, 2025 (Round 1 Decision Date for Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 5, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline for Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 25, 2026 (Round 2 Decision Date for Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1740 | 1636 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 8:1:1 | 7:1 |
| Male:Female | 46% Male, 0% Female | 52% Male, 48% Female |
| Location Facts | Located in downtown Philadelphia earlier, is now situated in West Philadelphia. The area is now known as University City. | Harvard Yard: Campus’s historic hub, Harvard Square: Campus’s personal hagout destination with restaurants, cafe, bookstores, theater, shops. Well connected to the local neighborhood of Boston by public transport, the campus traverses the Charles River to near by Allston. |
| Library | 6.67 million printed book volumes; 4.26 million microform items; 282,857 serials received; 2.01 million e-books; 279,206 e-journals; 4.31 million digitized images; 358,740 audio/video tapes, CDs, and DVDs. | Largest academic library in the world. 20.4 million volumes, 400 million manuscript items, 180,000 serial titles. The library offers various grants and fellowships for both students and faculty. |
| Campus Life | 165 Research centers; Double decker college football stadium; 450+ student organizations; Penn Museum & other galleries; Penn Relays Carnivals (longest uninterrupted collegiate track meet in America with 100,000 spectators yearly); PennRec (offers activities such as yoga, fitness classes, sports clubs, outdoor adventures, etc.); hundreds of retail shops, restaurants, etc.; Vending activities (includes 90 trucks, carts, & tables); University media including news & media (Almanac, Penn Today, Daily Pennsylvanian), communications (WQHS, WXPN 88.5 FM, etc.). | Students from over 50 states and 80 countries are offered assistance by over 400 official student organization. The campus has its own museum, radio station, magazine and newspaper. Along with student clubs for Aikikai, archery, dance, theatre/drama, music, etc, campus also offers cultural & racial initiatives, asian student centric-projects, etc. Varsity sports, crimson pride and various atheletic teams. |
| Hostel | #Rooms - $12978 | #Medium Single - $10719 #Large Single - $13644 #Standard Single - $8361 |
| Famous Alumni | 36 Nobel laureates; 29 Rhodes Scholars; 16 Pulitzer Prize winners; Elon Musk (CEO of SpaceX); Warren Buffet (CEO of Berkshire Hathaway); John Legend (American singer-songwriter); Ivanka Trump (American businesswoman); Tory Burch (American fashion designer); Donald Trump (45th President of USA); Anand Ahuja (Businessperson); Shweta Bachchan-Nanda (Indian author); Sundar Pichai (CEO of Alphabet Inc. & Google LLC); | Eight US Presidents, 62 living billionaires, 242 Marshall Scholars, 359 Rhodes scholars. Barak Obama (ex-president of USA), Michelle Obama (Former First Lady of USA), Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman (Actress), Bill Gates, Conan O’ Brien (comedian writer), Al Gore (Winner-Peace Prize), Matt Damon (Actor), Helen Keller, Subramaniam Swami (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha) |
| City Life | Philadelphia- largest city in Pennsylvania; 6th most populous city in USA; Famous tourist attractions include Liberty Bell Pavilion, Independence Hall, Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia Museum of Arts, Reading Terminal Market, Barnes Foundation, Fairmount Park, City Hall, etc.; Birthplace of US Marine Corps, several firsts in USA such as library, hospital, medical school, zoo, business school, etc.; Unemployment rate- 4.5% | Cambridge- city in Massachusetts; home to a huge student community; city offers a great nightlife with gastropubs, live music, and cocktail bars. Boston’s cosmopolitan excitement is bus-ride away. Average salaries offered within the state are up to 97,5000 USD; Famous tourist attractions: Charles River, Harvard Square, Mount Auburn Cemetery, MIT Museum, CambrdgeSide, John Harvard Statue, Sanders Theatre; Unemployment rate- 3.2% |
| Weather |
University of Pennsylvania vs Harvard University
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
Harvard University consistently ranks in the global top 1-3 ultimately unmatched in prestige across Medicine, Law, Business, Sciences, Social Sciences, and the Humanities. The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) ranks in the global top 10-15, with noted strengths in Business (Wharton School), Medicine, Law, and Social Sciences. While Harvard enjoys a greater overall breadth of dominance, Penn receives especially strong recognition for business, healthcare and innovation, and interdisciplinary work.
General Information
Harvard, established in 1636, is the oldest university in the U.S. and is one of the leading universities globally. It is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has approximately 25,000 students. Harvard and its academic resources combine history, global prestige, and top scholarship and teaching. The University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, is located in Philadelphia and has roughly 22,000 students. It is characterized by both Ivy League tradition, and the strength of its professional schools and professional learning, particularly the combination of liberal arts and professional education.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Harvard is among the most selective universities in the world, with an acceptance rate of around 3%. Penn is also highly selective with an acceptance rate of about 6%. Both schools are known for rigorous academic preparation and for academic excellence, leadership and extracurricular differentiation, but Harvard is singularly the most competitive Ivy overall. The admissions processes at Penn and track record of student and graduate success will be especially enticing to students seeking an interdisciplinary program of study that includes Business, Technology and Healthcare.
Research Impact & Facilities
Both are Ivy League research powerhouses. Harvard leads globally in medicine, law, policy, business, and science research, with extensive endowment support and world-class labs. Penn is also highly impactful, with strengths in healthcare, business, and social sciences, and is home to one of the world’s top teaching hospitals. Harvard has unmatched breadth and global reach, while Penn excels in applied, interdisciplinary, and business-oriented research.
Cost & Financial Aid
Tuition at both universities is about $65,000 annually for international students, with total costs exceeding $80,000 including living expenses. Both institutions offer generous need-based financial aid, with Harvard’s aid programs considered among the most extensive worldwide. Penn also provides strong financial aid but is especially competitive in offering opportunities tied to business and healthcare fields.
Career Destinations & Graduates' Success
Harvard graduates are among the most sought-after globally, with career paths spanning finance, consulting, law, medicine, politics, and academia, backed by the most powerful alumni network in the world. Penn graduates are particularly successful in finance, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and business leadership, thanks to the Wharton School’s global influence. Harvard provides unmatched global prestige across all fields, while Penn offers the strongest reputation in business and applied professional disciplines.
