BU vs. Jefferson

Should I go to Boston University or Thomas Jefferson University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU or Jefferson is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Northeastern BC NYU Babson Tufts UMass Brandeis University Lehigh Colgate George Washington Binghamton University Villanova
Boston University vs. Thomas Jefferson University comparison
Boston University Thomas Jefferson University College 3 College 4
Boston University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

BU Jefferson
Location Boston, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,624 8,315
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #77
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $63,798 $44,400
Tuition (Out of State) $63,798 $44,400
Room & Board $18,110 $17,246
Avg Net Price $27,551 $29,097
Avg Grant Aid $55,080 $33,063
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 100%

Admission

BU Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,495 6,084
Admitted 8,733 5,241
Acceptance Rate 10.8% 86.1%
Enrolled % 36% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 32/34 27/32
SAT Range 1400/1520 1150/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 4, 2026 Jul 31, 2026

Academics

BU Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

BU Jefferson
Graduation Rate 85% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $12,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $129

Diversity

BU Jefferson
% Men 21% 15%
% Women 28% 40%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 72%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 20% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 7%

Students

BU Jefferson
% In-State 14% 68%
% Out-of-State 61% 30%

Campus

BU Jefferson
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (36,624 students vs. 8,315 students)

BU vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Jefferson?

  • Boston University is 43.7% more expensive to attend than Jefferson for in-state tuition ($63,798.00 vs. $44,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.7% higher at BU than Thomas Jefferson University ($63,798.00 vs. $44,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Jefferson ($27,551 vs. $29,097)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Jefferson University are 5% lower than costs at Boston University ($17,246 vs. $18,110)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Boston University (100% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 66.6% larger than aid received Thomas Jefferson University ($55,080 vs. $33,063)

BU vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or Jefferson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Jefferson or BU .

  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Jefferson (3.73)
  • Jefferson has a higher acceptance rate (86.1%) than BU (10.8%)

BU vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU or Jefferson? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Jefferson and BU.

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn on average $50,900 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $72,000)
  • Thomas Jefferson University students graduate with a $14,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($12,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Jefferson graduates are paying $150 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($129 vs. $279)
  • More Jefferson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 82%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/