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.

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Penn State Wilkes Barre vs. Thomas Jefferson University comparison
Penn State Wilkes Barre Thomas Jefferson University College 3 College 4
Penn State Wilkes Barre
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Overview

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Location Lehman, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 353 8,315
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 $44,400
Tuition (Out of State) $23,316 $44,400
Room & Board $13,448 $17,246
Avg Net Price $16,275 $29,097
Avg Grant Aid $8,945 $33,063
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 100%

Admission

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Jefferson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 640 6,084
Admitted 605 5,241
Acceptance Rate 94.5% 86.1%
Enrolled % 14.9% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.73
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32
SAT Range 1060/1305 1150/1350
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, 2026

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 0% 15%
% Women 1% 40%
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% 68%
% Out-of-State 17% 30%

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 (8,315 students vs. 353 students)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Jefferson Cost Comparison

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

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 221.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($44,400.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 90.4% higher at Jefferson than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($44,400.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Jefferson ($16,275 vs. $29,097)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 28.2% lower than costs at Thomas Jefferson University ($13,448 vs. $17,246)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 269.6% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($33,063 vs. $8,945)

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 (94.5%) than Jefferson (86.1%)

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/