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University of Pennsylvania

Ranked
Philadelphia, United States
=14th in World University Rankings 2025
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About

Basic information and contact details for the University of Pennsylvania

institution

Given its status as one of the nine original Colonial Colleges – institutions established before the US became a sovereign nation after the American Revolution – and a founding member of the Association of American Universities, it is no surprise the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) claims to be the first fully fledged (multi-faculty) “university” in the USA.

Though Penn’s origins date back to 1740, it was until 1749 when Benjamin Franklin published his famous essay, Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth, circulated it among Philadelphia’s prominent citizens, and organized 24 trustees to form an institution of higher education based on his proposals. It was 30 years later when Penn was granted university status. Since then, Penn has expanded into a sprawling 302-acre campus with 200 buildings. It boasts many notable “first” landmarks on campus including the country’s first student union, double-decker college football stadium, and the world’s first collegiate business school – The Wharton School.

Penn’s prowess is not restricted to just infrastructure. The university has an exhaustive list of notable alumni from all walks of life. Penn has affiliations with over 25 Nobel Laureates including physicist Raymond Davis Jr and economist Lawrence Klein, and has accounted for numerous heads of state. Ninth president of the USA, William Henry Harrison, trod the boards at Penn in 1791, while Nnamdi Azikiwe – former president of Nigeria – and Kwame Nkrumah – former prime minister and president of Ghana – both gained multiple degrees from the institution. Noted modernist poets and friends Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams are among the literary luminaries from the institution.

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Rankings

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Key Student Statistics

A breakdown of student statistics at the University of Pennsylvania

gender ratio
Student gender ratio
55 F : 45 M (1)
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International student percentage
24% (1)
student per staff
Students per staff
6.8 (1)
student
Student total
22539 (1)

Based on data collected for the (1) World University Rankings 2025

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Subjects Taught at the University of Pennsylvania

See below for a range of subjects taught at the University of Pennsylvania

Life Sciences17th

  • Veterinary Science
  • Biological Sciences

Law=21st

  • Law

Education18th

  • Education

Arts and Humanities17th

  • Languages, Literature and Linguistics
  • History, Philosophy and Theology
  • Archaeology
  • Art, Performing Art and Design
  • Architecture

Business and Economics12th

  • Economics and Econometrics
  • Business and Management
  • Accounting and Finance

Clinical and Health10th

  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Other Health

Computer Science34th

  • Computer Science

Engineering36th

  • General Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Social Sciences13th

  • Sociology
  • Politics and International Studies
  • Geography
  • Communication and Media Studies

Psychology8th

  • Psychology

Physical Sciences28th

  • Chemistry
  • Geology, Environmental, Earth and Marine Sciences
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Mathematics and Statistics