Penn State Berks vs. Jefferson

Should I go to Penn State Berks or Thomas Jefferson University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Berks 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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Penn State Berks vs. Thomas Jefferson University comparison
Penn State Berks Thomas Jefferson University College 3 College 4
Penn State Berks
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Overview

Penn State Berks Jefferson
Location Reading, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 2,077 8,286
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Berks Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $43,100
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $43,100
Room & Board $14,334 $14,715
Avg Net Price $21,728 $28,110
Avg Grant Aid $8,528 $32,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 100%

Admission

Penn State Berks Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,605 5,723
Admitted 5,453 5,085
Acceptance Rate 97.3% 88.9%
Enrolled % 11.6% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.73
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 27/31
SAT Range 1090/1290 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 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Penn State Berks Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Penn State Berks Jefferson
Graduation Rate 55% -
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 Berks Jefferson
% Men 59% 27%
% Women 41% 73%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 72%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Penn State Berks Jefferson
% In-State 64% 63%
% Out-of-State 30% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Thomas Jefferson University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (8,286 students vs. 2,077 students)

Penn State Berks vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Berks or Jefferson?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 180.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Berks for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at Jefferson than Penn State Berks ($43,100.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Berks than Jefferson ($21,728 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 2.7% lower than costs at Thomas Jefferson University ($14,334 vs. $14,715)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Penn State Berks (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 280.9% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($32,486 vs. $8,528)

Penn State Berks vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Jefferson students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Jefferson (88.9%)

Penn State Berks vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Berks 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 Berks.

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn on average $67,600 more per year than Penn State Berks 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 Berks graduates. ($12,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Jefferson graduates are paying $148 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($129 vs. $277)
  • More Jefferson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks 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/