Quick Read
- UPenn ranks 15th globally in QS 2027; Georgetown ranks 289th (tied).
- Georgetown Law fell to 18th in 2026, ending its T14 status.
- UPenn admitted 5.8% of Class of 2030 applicants; Georgetown admitted 13%.
- A year at UPenn now costs $94,582 (₹90,59,024) with room and board.
UPenn vs Georgetown at a Glance
| Metric | UPenn | Georgetown |
| QS World Ranking 2027 | 15th | 289th (tied) |
| US News National Universities 2026 | 7th (tied) | 24th (tied) |
| Ivy League? | Yes | No |
| Acceptance rate, Class of 2030 | 5.8% | 13% |
| Law school rank, US News 2026 | 4th (tied) | 18th (tied) |
| MBA rank, QS 2026 | 1st globally (Wharton) | 22nd nationally (McDonough) |
| Tuition, 2026-27 | $65,670 (₹62,89,873) | $74,520 (₹71,37,526) |
| Total cost of attendance, 2026-27 | $94,582 (₹90,59,024) | $96,800 (₹92,71,504) |
| Location | Philadelphia, PA | Washington, D.C. |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 10,000 | 7,800 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs post-entry | $123,600 (₹1,18,38,408) | $118,900 (₹1,13,88,242) |
All figures are sourced individually below; see each section for citations.
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UPenn vs Georgetown Rankings: QS 2027 and US News 2026
UPenn
UPenn's 15th place on QS 2027 and 7th (tied) on US News National Universities 2026 reflect two different things: QS rewards global research reputation, and US News rewards domestic undergraduate outcomes.
Georgetown
Georgetown's 289th on QS 2027 and 24th (tied) on US News 2026 look weaker side by side with UPenn, but that gap is largely structural: QS weighs research citations heavily, which favors a research Ivy over a smaller, teaching-focused Jesuit university.
Counselor insight: QS and US News reward different things entirely. A Georgetown SFS applicant should weigh domestic outcomes data far more than a global research ranking that says little about undergraduate teaching.
Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027, UPenn | QS World University Rankings 2027, Georgetown | US News Best Colleges 2026, UPenn | US News Best Colleges 2026, Georgetown
Is UPenn Ivy League and Georgetown Not?
The UPenn vs Georgetown status gap starts here: one is Ivy League, the other isn't.
UPenn
UPenn is Ivy League: one of the eight Ivy League schools (with Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Brown, and Dartmouth), founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin. The University of Pennsylvania is Ivy League, and Penn is Ivy League: the same fact stated two other ways. The University of Pennsylvania Ivy League ranking and UPenn Ivy League ranking searches are really about the athletic conference, formalized in February 1954.
Georgetown
Georgetown is not an Ivy League school. It's a private Jesuit research university founded in 1789 by Bishop John Carroll, competing in the Big East, not the Ivy League.
One disambiguation worth stating plainly: Georgetown vs Penn lacrosse and Georgetown vs Penn State lacrosse are athletic rivalries, unrelated to this comparison. If you're researching Penn State University's ranking in the Ivy League, the answer is simply no: Penn State is a separate public Big Ten university, not the University of Pennsylvania, and it isn't Ivy League.
Counselor insight: In India, "Ivy League" is often a brand shortcut in family conversations. It rarely swings an admissions decision, so don't let it override program fit.
Sources: Ivy League, official conference history | Georgetown University, official About page
UPenn vs Georgetown Acceptance Rate, Class of 2030
UPenn
UPenn's rate rose to 5.8% for the Class of 2030 after Penn reinstated mandatory SAT/ACT testing, up from a record 4.9% the year before. Stats to get into UPenn this cycle: mandatory testing plus 95% of admits from the top 10% of their class. UPenn's most recent published international figure (Class of 2029) was 2.5% of 17,882 applicants; it hasn't broken out a Class of 2030 international rate.
Georgetown
Georgetown's 13% is up from 12% the year before, but it also requires a mandatory alumni interview and doesn't publish a separate international rate either.
Counselor insight: Georgetown's rate looks more forgiving, but its mandatory interview filters casual applicants before the numbers even show up. Don't read "13% vs 5.8%" as "easier."
Sources: The Daily Pennsylvanian, UPenn Class of 2030 admissions | The Hoya, Georgetown Class of 2030 admissions
UPenn vs Georgetown Law: Why Georgetown Fell Out of the T14
UPenn
Is UPenn a good law school? At #4 (tied), yes, and consistently so. UPenn law application deadline: Penn Carey Law has rolling JD admissions and a firm March 1 final deadline for standardized test submission.
Georgetown
Georgetown Law dropped from 14th to 18th (tied), its first year outside the informal "T14," after declining to submit institutional data to US News since 2022. Its JD deadline typically falls in February, also rolling.
Counselor insight: A T14 exit is a ranking event, not a quality collapse. For international law or public-interest work, Georgetown's D.C. location still outweighs one year's slide.
Sources: US News Best Law Schools 2026, UPenn | US News Best Law Schools 2026, Georgetown | Penn Carey Law, JD Admissions FAQs
Wharton vs Georgetown McDonough MBA
The UPenn vs Georgetown gap widens further at MBA level.
UPenn
Wharton hits #1 globally on QS 2026 for the first time and enrolls roughly 850 students per MBA class.
Georgetown
McDonough ranked 22nd nationally in the QS ranking and 5th in the US for MBA salary growth in the 2026 Financial Times ranking, with a much smaller cohort of approximately 240 students per class.
Counselor insight: If you want close faculty access over brand scale, don't dismiss McDonough on rank alone; class size changes the actual day-to-day experience more than a headline number does.
Sources: QS Global MBA Rankings 2026 | Georgetown McDonough School of Business, official rankings page
UPenn vs Georgetown Cost in USD and INR
Exchange rate used: 1 United States Dollar equals 95.78 Indian Rupee, as of writing. Rates move daily; check the live rate before finalizing your budget.
| Cost | UPenn 2026-27 | Georgetown 2026-27 |
| Tuition | $65,670 (₹62,89,873) | $74,520 (₹71,37,526) |
| Total cost of attendance | $94,582 (₹90,59,024) | $96,800 (₹92,71,504)* |
Georgetown's precise 2026-27 total isn't officially published yet; the $96,800 figure is calculated from Georgetown's confirmed 2025-26 total of $92,540, inflated by the university's own stated "4.6%" increase. Treat it as a close estimate, not an official number.
Counselor insight: Both schools raise tuition every year without exception. The budget for this year is the confirmed number plus an additional 4-5%, not the figure your counselor quoted last spring.
Sources: Penn Today, 2026-27 tuition and financial aid | Georgetown University, 2026-27 tuition announcement | Georgetown Office of Student Financial Aid, 2025-26 cost of attendance
UPenn vs Georgetown Scholarships and Financial Aid
| Policy | UPenn | Georgetown |
| Headline aid program | Quaker Commitment | Need-based aid, no equivalent name |
| Full tuition guaranteed under | Family income ≤ $200,000 (₹1,91,56,000) | Not guaranteed at a fixed income threshold |
| All costs covered under | Family income ≤ $75,000 (₹71,83,500) | Not guaranteed at a fixed income threshold |
| Home equity counted in aid need? | No, removed under Quaker Commitment | Yes, still factored |
| 2026-27 total aid budget | Part of a $347 million (₹3,32,42,66,00,000 / ₹33,242.66 crore) undergraduate aid budget | $278 million (₹2,662.68 crore) committed for 2025-26 |
| International applicants | Need-aware, not need-blind | Need-aware, not need-blind |
Counselor insight: UPenn's Quaker Commitment guarantees a fixed outcome at a set income cutoff. Georgetown's aid is real but discretionary, which matters if your family's income sits right at a borderline.
Sources: Penn Almanac, Quaker Commitment financial aid budget | The Georgetown Voice, 2026-27 tuition and aid budget
Campus and Location: Philadelphia vs Washington D.C.
Location is where the UPenn vs Georgetown decision gets personal.
UPenn
UPenn's larger industry base and extensive research support favor applicants in finance, tech, and engineering tracks.
Georgetown
Georgetown's proximity to federal agencies and embassies gives policy and IR applicants real academic access, not just a lifestyle upgrade.
Counselor insight: Don't choose a city over a program. Picking Georgetown purely for D.C. internships, then studying something D.C. has no strength in, backfires.
Sources: NCES IPEDS Institution Profile, UPenn | NCES IPEDS Institution Profile, Georgetown
Career Outcomes: UPenn vs Georgetown for Indian Graduates
UPenn
A median of $123,600 (₹1,18,38,408) ten years post-entry, pulled up heavily by Wharton graduates specifically.
Georgetown
A median of $118,900 (₹1,13,88,242) over the same period, roughly a 4% gap, was pulled up by SFS and McDonough graduates specifically.
Counselor insight: A school-wide average hides huge variation by major. Don't let one blended number decide your choice between UPenn and Georgetown.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard comparison
UPenn or Georgetown? A Decision Framework
There's no single right answer to UPenn vs Georgetown; it depends entirely on your program.
- If you're a final-year BTech student targeting a Wharton MBA or an MSCS-style program: UPenn's #1 QS Global MBA-ranked Wharton and Philadelphia's lower cost of living favor the finance/tech track.
- If you're choosing between the two for undergraduate political science or IR: Georgetown's SFS and D.C. location outweigh UPenn's higher global rank and Ivy League status for this specific goal.
- If you're an LLM applicant weighing a T14-stable school against Georgetown's international law reputation: Penn Carey Law's steady #4 rank suits corporate law; Georgetown's D.C. location still suits public international law, despite its 2026 slide.
Counselor insight: Each scenario has a different right answer. A counselor giving one universal "pick this one" answer without asking your program isn't giving good advice.
Documents Checklist for UPenn and Georgetown
Whichever way your UPenn vs Georgetown decision goes, the paperwork overlaps significantly.
| Document | UPenn | Georgetown | India-specific note |
| Transcripts | Class 10-12 or equivalent | Class 10-12 or equivalent | Get a WES/ECE evaluation if requested |
| Test scores | SAT/ACT mandatory (UG); LSAT/GRE/GMAT (grad/law) | Same | Test-optional isn't available at either school this cycle |
| SOP/essays | Penn-specific via Common/Coalition App | Georgetown-specific, own application | Name specific programs; avoid generic phrasing |
| LORs | 2 teacher evaluations + counselor form | 2 recommendations + counselor | Give recommenders 4-6 weeks' notice |
| Financial docs | Need-aware for international admits | Need-aware for international admits | Statements 3-6 months old, sponsor's name |
| Alumni interview | Not required | Required for undergrad | Check your regional India chapter early |
Application Calendar for UPenn and Georgetown 2026-27
The UPenn vs Georgetown deadlines run close together, so track both carefully.
| Milestone | UPenn | Georgetown |
| Early deadline | ED: Nov 1, 2026 | EA: Nov 1, 2026 |
| Early decisions | Mid-December 2026 | Mid-December 2026 |
| Regular deadline | Jan 5, 2027 | Jan 10, 2027 |
| Regular decisions | Late March 2027 | Late March 2027 |
| Platform | Common/Coalition App | Own application + Common App (new this cycle) |
| Law JD deadline | March 1, 2027 (rolling) | Rolling, typically February |
This is Georgetown's first cycle accepting the Common App alongside its own portal. Confirm which platform you're using before November; supplemental essays differ by platform.
Source: Penn Admissions, Incoming Class Profile
What to Do If You Miss a Deadline or Get a Low Score
None of these problems should end your UPenn vs Georgetown plans on their own.
- Missed the early deadline: Pivot straight to a strong Regular Decision file; neither school grants routine exceptions.
- Low test score: Address it in an optional essay rather than ignoring it; both offices say they read below-range scores in context.
- Delayed board results: Contact admissions directly and ask about conditional review; both process incomplete files if you flag the delay early.
- Visa complications post-admission: Admission doesn't guarantee a visa. Talk to your counselor about the funding and intent questions consular officers ask most often.
Counselor insight: The most common preventable mistake isn't picking the "wrong" school. The financial documents do not match the sponsor's income on record, which poses a visa risk at either school.
3 Takeaways on UPenn vs Georgetown
Here's what the UPenn vs Georgetown comparison actually comes down to:
- Match the school to your program, not the overall rank. UPenn's QS rank and Ivy League status matter less than whether finance/tech or policy/IR fits your goal.
- Budget for a 4-5% annual increase at either school, using this year's confirmed USD and INR figures as your floor.
- Treat Georgetown's 2026 law rank slide as new information, not a disqualifier, and weigh it against your specific practice area.
Verified by: LeapScholar's USA counseling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students through Ivy League and D.C. -based applications.
Have questions about applying to UPenn or Georgetown? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions About UPenn vs Georgetown
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Is UPenn Ivy League?
Yes. UPenn is one of the eight Ivy League schools, a status tied to the athletic conference formalized in 1954.
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Is Georgetown Ivy League?
No. Georgetown is a private Jesuit university in the Big East Conference, often confused with Ivy League schools purely on prestige.
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What majors, degrees, and programs is UPenn known for?
UPenn is best known for Wharton (business/MBA consistently top 2-3 globally); Nursing (#1 in QS and ARWU Nursing rankings); and strong programs in Engineering, Law, Medicine, and Arts & Sciences. It's also a major hub for interdisciplinary and dual-degree programs.
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Is UPenn a good law school, and is UPenn Law prestigious?
Yes to both. Penn Carey Law ranks 4th (tied) in the 2026 US News rankings, consistently inside the traditional T14.
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Is UPenn top 10 or top 20?
UPenn is top 20, just outside the top 10. It's ranked #15 in QS World University Rankings 2027, #14 in THE World Rankings 2026, and #17 in US News Best Global Universities.
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Is UPenn GSE prestigious?
Yes, within education research specifically, though its profile is lower than Wharton or the law school for most Indian applicants comparing options.
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What sport is UPenn known for?
UPenn hosts the historic Penn Relays at Franklin Field each spring and fields 33 Division I teams, without one dominant sport.
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Is Georgetown vs Penn lacrosse related to this comparison?
No. It's a Division I athletics matchup, unconnected to the academic UPenn vs Georgetown comparison in this article.
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Which has the better acceptance rate, UPenn or Georgetown?
Georgetown's 13% for the Class of 2030 is higher than UPenn's 5.8%, but the two schools filter applicants differently through Georgetown's mandatory interview.
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Which to choose if I got admitted to both and can't decide?
Match the school to your program: Wharton and Philadelphia favor finance and tech; Georgetown's D.C. location favors policy and international relations.
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Is UPenn prestigious?
Yes, by any metric, and is UPenn a prestigious school, specifically among Indian applicants? Also yes. Is UPenn more prestigious than Columbia and than Cornell? Prestige is subjective, but by QS 2027, UPenn (15th) ranks above both Cornell (16th) and Columbia (38th).
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