Howard vs. Jefferson

Should I go to Howard University or Thomas Jefferson University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard 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.

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Howard University vs. Thomas Jefferson University comparison
Howard University Thomas Jefferson University College 3 College 4
Howard University
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Overview

Howard Jefferson
Location Washington, DC Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 12,886 8,286
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #318
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $43,100
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $43,100
Room & Board $15,880 $14,715
Avg Net Price $28,279 $28,110
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $32,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Howard Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 5,723
Admitted 10,253 5,085
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 88.9%
Enrolled % 24.3% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.73
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 27/31
SAT Range 1050/1290 1130/1350
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 Feb 15, 2025 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Howard Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)

Outcomes

Howard Jefferson
Graduation Rate 63% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $12,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $129

Diversity

Howard Jefferson
% Men 29% 27%
% Women 71% 73%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 72%
% Black 91% 7%
% Hispanic 0% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

Howard Jefferson
% In-State 1% 63%
% Out-of-State 91% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Howard University is larger than than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (12,886 students vs. 8,286 students)

Howard vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or Jefferson?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 40.9% more expensive to attend than Howard for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.9% higher at Jefferson than Howard University ($43,100.00 vs. $30,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Thomas Jefferson University than Howard ($28,110 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Jefferson University are 7.9% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,715 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Howard University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 61.9% larger than aid received Howard University ($32,486 vs. $20,063)

Howard vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Jefferson students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Howard (3.66)
  • Jefferson has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn on average $71,100 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $51,800)
  • Thomas Jefferson University students graduate with a $14,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($12,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Jefferson graduates are paying $150 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($129 vs. $279)
  • More Jefferson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 33%)

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