Master of Business Administration 

at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Yes, an MBA at Wharton UPenn is completely worth it for Indians investing over 90L for studies. The programme is designed for students looking for a quantitative, leadership-driven, and globally popular MBA program, and for those aiming career in Consulting, Finance, Tech, or Entrepreneurship fields.

The programme is available in specializations such as Business Administration, Finance, Education, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Organizational Dynamics, and more. These programs offer the strongest networks, placement in top-tier consulting, tech, finance, or entrepreneurship fields. Students can expect an estimated salary of around INR 1.45 Cr with a substantial starting bonus annually once they complete the course.

According to the rankings released by Financial times for the year 2025, the Wharton School ranks at #1 for it's MBA programs around the globe. According to US World and News, the Business programs of the University of Pennsylvania which are provided under Wharton, are ranked #1 among the 124 best trade schools of the world. The QS ranking on the other hand has given the UPenn Wharton School, #2 rank consecutively for two years, 2025 and 2024.

Wharton is a popular school among international students, although the living expense along with the high tuition fee can feel a little expensive. According to the Wharton's official site, an international student has to spend an amount of USD 33,804 (INR 28.5 L) for one year to pursue MBA at this B-School, from which a big chunk will go in paying rent. Eighty percent of the Wharton MBA students live near Rittenhouse Square, which is located in centre city. The Centre City is known for its best restaurants, shopping outlets, and nightlife.

The commute to the Wharton campus is a 25 minutes' walk, or 10 to 15 minutes through bike or public transportation. The students say on various platforms such as Quora, that they are able to enjoy the luxury high-rises with beautiful views of the park and brownstone homes. The average rent among the students who live in Rittenhouse Square for various kinds of apartments in mentioned below:

(USD 1 = INR 84.41)

Below mentioned are the buildings most Wharton MBA students live in Rittenhouse Square:

·         AQ Rittenhouse

·         2040 Market

·         1919 Market

·         The Dorchester

·         2400 Chestnut

·         2116 Chestnut

·         The Republic

·         Rittenhouse Claridge

·         Wanamaker House

·         1700 Chestnut

·         The Beacon

·         Locust on the Park

·         Aria

·         The Carlyle

·         The Sterling

International students willing to apply for an MBA programme can apply through the university portal. They must fulfill the basic eligibility and submit the required documents along with the application fee. The student must complete their college-level education equivalent to a four-year American undergraduate or baccalaureate degree before applying. Then submit documents such as background information, essay, GMAT/GRE score, resume, LOR, transcripts, and English language proficiency score and pay USD 90 (INR 7.5K) as the application fee to apply at the university.

Both Harvard Business School and Wharton offer elite programs to international students. Students must choose between the two based on their career goals, industry, and learning style. Students who are seeking programs in Finance and Investment Banking must go with Wharton, whereas for Entrepreneurship, Harvard is better. Harvard University is better for leadership roles in the public /private sectors, whereas Wharton is good for quantitative or data-driven roles.

According to officials, UPenn believes in conducting a thorough review of the applications once they are received. Review includes various factors that are beyond academics. Although academics will remain of the most important factors, things like extracurricular activities, community service and interests outside the classroom are highly crucial. 

The University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, both are the most reputed institutions in the USA. There is no comparison between them. However, students can decide where to go as both of them are extremely popular and can lead to a successful career. Students with extremely excellent performance can make a place in either of two as their acceptance rates are very low. The Harvard University acceptance rate is 3.41% which is the second the lowest in history and UPenn acceptance rate is 5.4%. Both universities provide a wide range of programs in over 100 specializations and their tuition costs are high. Students can check the below comparison table and decide where they must apply:

UPenn expects a minimum cumulative GPA of 3 on the 4 scale as a general admission requirement. However, students who enrolled or were selected by the University of Pennsylvania scored much more than the required. Students who want to take UPenn admission must aim to score more than 3 GPAs to beat the competition. Along with the GPA, students must submit ACT or SAT scores to provide support to the application as the university provides test options for them.

Annual tuition fee is around 40 L which can be considered expensive. Check the table mentioned below.

Yes, you can change your major at the University of Pennsylvania, however, the ease of changing your major depends on the school within the university, you wish to switch to.

Changing a major at the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) is relatively straightforward, however, doing so at a different school say the Wharton School is far more competitive & requires better academic requirements from students.