University of Pennsylvania GPA requirements & acceptance rate
Average GPA, acceptance rate and SAT/ACT ranges for University of Pennsylvania, all from its own Common Data Set 2025-26, plus a quick estimate of your chances.
What are my chances at University of Pennsylvania?
Enter your unweighted GPA to see an estimate.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Pennsylvania?
University of Pennsylvania’s own Common Data Set (2025-26, item C12) reports an average high school GPA of 3.90 for its enrolled first-year students who submitted a GPA (98% of them submitted one). It is an average, not a cut-off: many enrolled students were below it. The CDS does not say whether the figure is weighted, so treat it as a guide rather than a target. Source: University of Pennsylvania Common Data Set 2025-26, item C12.
Plenty of enrolled students were below the 3.90 average, especially those with a strong upward trend, a demanding course load, or test scores near the top of the range. Use the estimator above to see where you stand.
University of Pennsylvania acceptance rate
University of Pennsylvania’s Common Data Set 2025-26 (item C1) reports 72,544 first-time, first-year applicants for fall 2025 and 3,570 admitted, an acceptance rate of 4.9%. That makes University of Pennsylvania extremely selective — one of the most competitive in the country. GPA is only one piece: University of Pennsylvania also weighs the rigor of your courses, essays, recommendations and activities, and test scores where it considers them.
University of Pennsylvania SAT and ACT scores
The middle 50% of University of Pennsylvania’s enrolled first-year students who submitted scores had ACT 34–35 (25th to 75th percentile, Common Data Set 2025-26, item C9). The CDS does not report SAT composite percentiles (some colleges give only the section scores). A score at or above the 75th percentile puts you in the top quarter of enrolled students who reported one.
| Test | 25th | 50th | 75th | Submitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT composite | 34 | 35 | 35 | 18% |
University of Pennsylvania admissions at a glance
| First-year applicants (fall 2025) | 72,544 |
| Admitted | 3,570 |
| Acceptance rate | 4.9% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.90 |
| Submitted a GPA | 98% |
| SAT composite, 25th–75th | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th–75th | 34–35 |
| Common Data Set year | 2025-26 |
Source: University of Pennsylvania Common Data Set 2025-26 · University of Pennsylvania’s Common Data Set page, items C1 (applicants and admits), C9 (SAT/ACT) and C12 (GPA), read October 2026. Every figure on this page comes from the college’s own Common Data Set; none is from a third-party website.
Estimate your odds
The estimator above starts from University of Pennsylvania’s acceptance rate and moves it up or down with your GPA. It is a rough guide, not a prediction: it does not see your essays, course rigor or major. To plan the grades you need, try the college GPA calculator and the target GPA planner.
How to strengthen your application
Beyond the GPA range, focus on what you can still move: take the most challenging courses your school offers, keep your grades trending upward, prepare for the SAT or ACT if University of Pennsylvania considers them, and write essays that show genuine fit.