Penn acceptance rate
Penn's acceptance rate sits near 5–6%. Five-year history, what changed after President Magill's exit, and the markets we're watching.
Philadelphia, PA
At a glance
Penn admitted 5.4% of applicants for the Class of 2029 — down from 5.66% for the Class of 2025. Prediction markets on next cycle's rate settle on the No exchange currently lists a market onPenn's acceptance rate — this page is reported data, not odds.At a glance
Penn's acceptance rate is 5.4% for the Class of 2029 — the most recent officially reported figure.
Penn went stealth on the number for years, then came back to public reporting just as the rate hit fresh lows.
What is Penn's acceptance rate?
The University of Pennsylvania's most recently reported acceptance rate is 5.4% for the Class of 2029. Penn stopped publishing a detailed press release with sub-pool breakdowns in 2024, so the figure is now reported in a single statement.
Five-year history
| Class | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.66% |
| 2026 | 5.44% |
| 2027 | 6.60% |
| 2028 | 5.70% |
| 2029 | 5.40% |
What's driving the trend
Penn's number stabilized in the mid-5% range after the application surge of 2021–22. Reduced transparency on admissions reporting since 2024 — a pattern across several Ivies — makes the next number harder to forecast, which is precisely what creates an interesting prediction market.
Prediction markets on Penn
Watchlist: a market on whether Penn's Class of 2031 admit rate is reported with full sub-pool breakdowns at all, and a separate market on whether the headline rate drops below 5%.
Sources & further reading
- IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (opens in a new tab)National Center for Education Statistics
- Common Data Set Initiative (opens in a new tab)Common Data Set Initiative
- U.S. News Best Colleges rankings methodology (opens in a new tab)U.S. News & World Report
Frequently asked questions
What is Penn's acceptance rate?
Penn's most recently reported acceptance rate is 5.4% for the Class of 2029.
Has Penn's acceptance rate been falling?
Over the last five reported cycles, Penn's rate has moved from 5.66% (Class of 2025) to 5.4% (Class of 2029).
Can you bet on Penn's acceptance rate on a prediction market?
No. As of 2026-09-18, neither Kalshi nor Polymarket lists a market on Penn's acceptance rate. The listed college markets today are football and basketball boards plus Kalshi contracts on US News rankings, UC tuition and student debt.
