Is the University of Michigan or the University of Pennsylvania more expensive overall?

For a typical student paying the published price, the University of Pennsylvania usually costs more overall than the University of Michigan. Penn is a private university with a higher sticker price, and once you add housing, meals, fees, books, and personal expenses, its total cost of attendance is typically above Michigan’s, especially for in-state Michigan students.

The biggest split is that Michigan has two price levels for tuition: in-state and out-of-state. If you are a Michigan resident, Michigan is usually much less expensive than Penn. If you are an out-of-state student, Michigan becomes much pricier and can land closer to Penn, but Penn still often comes out higher on total published cost.

Where this gets less simple is financial aid. Penn is known for very strong need-based aid, so some students from lower- or middle-income families may actually pay less at Penn than they would at Michigan, particularly if they are out-of-state at Michigan and do not qualify for enough aid there. Michigan can also offer aid, but the net price can vary more depending on residency and your family’s financial situation.

So if you mean sticker-price cost of attendance, Penn usually wins as the more expensive option. If you mean what a family actually pays after aid, Michigan can be cheaper for many students, especially in-state, but Penn can sometimes end up costing less for students with high financial need.