Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Jefferson

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

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
Location Erie, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 3,295 8,286
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $43,100
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $43,100
Room & Board $12,984 $14,715
Avg Net Price $21,968 $28,110
Avg Grant Aid $9,685 $32,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 100%

Admission

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,363 5,723
Admitted 4,164 5,085
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 88.9%
Enrolled % 19.9% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.73
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 27/31
SAT Range 1095/1330 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 Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
Graduation Rate 66% -
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 Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
% Men 64% 27%
% Women 36% 73%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Jefferson
% In-State 74% 63%
% Out-of-State 19% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Thomas Jefferson University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (8,286 students vs. 3,295 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or Jefferson?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 180.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at Jefferson than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($43,100.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Jefferson ($21,968 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 13.3% lower than costs at Thomas Jefferson University ($12,984 vs. $14,715)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (100% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 235.4% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($32,486 vs. $9,685)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Jefferson students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Jefferson (88.9%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College.

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