Penn State vs. Jefferson

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Thomas Jefferson University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Penn State Main Campus

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Jefferson Philadelphia, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Jefferson Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Jefferson 8,238
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Jefferson Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Jefferson
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Jefferson -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Jefferson Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Jefferson

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Jefferson $47,505
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Jefferson $47,505
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Jefferson $15,834
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Jefferson $29,325
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Jefferson $35,007
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Jefferson 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Jefferson 7,087
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Jefferson 5,738
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Jefferson 81%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Jefferson 12.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Jefferson 1250
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Jefferson 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Jefferson 3.73
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Jefferson A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Jefferson Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Jefferson
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Jefferson 25/30
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Jefferson 1160/1330
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Jefferson Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Jefferson Jul 31, 2027

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Jefferson 27%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Jefferson 73%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Jefferson Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Jefferson No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Jefferson 72%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Jefferson 9%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Jefferson 7%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Jefferson 1%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Jefferson 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Jefferson 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Jefferson 3%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Jefferson 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Jefferson 7%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Jefferson 63%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Jefferson 36%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 8,238 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Thomas Jefferson University is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Thomas Jefferson University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Thomas Jefferson University 12:1.

Penn State vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Jefferson? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Jefferson ($27,889 vs. $29,325).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 8.6% lower than at Thomas Jefferson University ($14,474 vs. $15,834).
  • Thomas Jefferson University is 130.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $26,861 more per year; $47,505.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.7% higher at Jefferson than at Penn State Main Campus (about $5,715 more per year; $47,505.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 208.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($35,007 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Jefferson Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Jefferson? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Jefferson and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 80 points higher than at Jefferson (1250).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 27 at Jefferson).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Thomas Jefferson University 1160/1330.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Thomas Jefferson University 25/30.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Jefferson - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Jefferson Jul 31, 2027.
  • Jefferson has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 12.1% at Jefferson.

Penn State vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Jefferson? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn a median of about $67,600 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($122,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Thomas Jefferson University graduates have a $14,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($12,500 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Jefferson graduates have an estimated $148 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.