Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Jefferson

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

Millersville University of Pennsylvania Montclair State University Kean W&J
Penn State Wilkes Barre vs. Thomas Jefferson University comparison
Penn State Wilkes Barre Thomas Jefferson University College 3 College 4
Penn State Wilkes Barre
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Location Lehman, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 368 8,286
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jefferson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $43,100
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $43,100
Room & Board $12,984 $14,715
Avg Net Price $16,728 $28,110
Avg Grant Aid $10,598 $32,486
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 653 5,723
Admitted 622 5,085
Acceptance Rate 95.3% 88.9%
Enrolled % 20.4% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.73
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/31
SAT Range 1070/1260 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 Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Graduation Rate 47% -
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 Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
% Men 64% 27%
% Women 36% 73%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 72%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
% In-State 83% 63%
% Out-of-State 17% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Thomas Jefferson University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (8,286 students vs. 368 students)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Jefferson?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 211.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.7% higher at Jefferson than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($43,100.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Jefferson ($16,728 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre 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 Wilkes Barre (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 206.5% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($32,486 vs. $10,598)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Jefferson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Jefferson (88.9%)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Jefferson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre.

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