Penn State Harrisburg vs. Jefferson

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

Penn State Harrisburg Jefferson
Location Middletown, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 4,572 8,286
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Harrisburg Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $43,100
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $43,100
Room & Board $14,978 $14,715
Avg Net Price $22,096 $28,110
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $32,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 100%

Admission

Penn State Harrisburg Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 5,723
Admitted 9,483 5,085
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 88.9%
Enrolled % 12.6% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.73
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 27/31
SAT Range 1100/1310 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 Harrisburg Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Penn State Harrisburg Jefferson
Graduation Rate 63% -
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 Harrisburg Jefferson
% Men 60% 27%
% Women 40% 73%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 72%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Penn State Harrisburg Jefferson
% In-State 46% 63%
% Out-of-State 27% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Thomas Jefferson University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (8,286 students vs. 4,572 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

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

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 180.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at Jefferson than Penn State Harrisburg ($43,100.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Jefferson ($22,096 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Thomas Jefferson University are 1.8% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,715 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 265.8% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($32,486 vs. $8,882)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Jefferson students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Jefferson (88.9%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg.

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