Penn State vs. Jefferson

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

Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel
Penn State Main Campus vs. Thomas Jefferson University comparison
Penn State Main Campus Thomas Jefferson University College 3 College 4
Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn State Jefferson
Location University Park, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 50,028 8,286
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $18,368 $43,100
Tuition (Out of State) $35,946 $43,100
Room & Board $12,744 $14,715
Avg Net Price $26,747 $28,110
Avg Grant Aid $10,066 $32,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 100%

Admission

Penn State Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,784 5,723
Admitted 47,360 5,085
Acceptance Rate 55.2% 88.9%
Enrolled % 19.5% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.73
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 27/31
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Penn State Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Jefferson
Graduation Rate 87% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $12,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $129

Diversity

Penn State Jefferson
% Men 53% 27%
% Women 47% 73%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 72%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Penn State Jefferson
% In-State 51% 63%
% Out-of-State 40% 35%

Campus

Penn State Jefferson
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 8,286 students)

Penn State vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Jefferson?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 134.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $18,368.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.9% higher at Jefferson than Penn State Main Campus ($43,100.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Jefferson ($26,747 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 15.5% lower than costs at Thomas Jefferson University ($12,744 vs. $14,715)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 222.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($32,486 vs. $10,066)

Penn State vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Jefferson has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Penn State vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State 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 Penn State.

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn on average $67,600 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Thomas Jefferson University students graduate with a $14,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($12,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Jefferson graduates are paying $148 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($129 vs. $277)
  • More Jefferson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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