Jefferson vs. William & Mary

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

Jefferson William & Mary
Location Philadelphia, PA Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 8,286 9,654
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #61
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jefferson.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Jefferson William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $43,100 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $43,100 $40,089
Room & Board $14,715 $13,828
Avg Net Price $28,110 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $32,486 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

Jefferson William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,723 18,087
Admitted 5,085 6,059
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 33.5%
Enrolled % 14.9% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 27/31 32/34
SAT Range 1130/1350 1375/1520
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 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Jefferson William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Jefferson William & Mary
Graduation Rate - 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $122,900 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $129 $201

Diversity

Jefferson William & Mary
% Men 27% 42%
% Women 73% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 59%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 1% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

Jefferson William & Mary
% In-State 63% 58%
% Out-of-State 35% 36%

Campus

Jefferson William & Mary
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of William and Mary is larger than than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (9,654 students vs. 8,286 students)

Jefferson vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Jefferson or William & Mary?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 147.2% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $17,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.5% higher at Jefferson than College of William and Mary ($43,100.00 vs. $40,089.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of William and Mary than Jefferson ($25,688 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 6.4% lower than costs at Thomas Jefferson University ($13,828 vs. $14,715)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than College of William and Mary (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 114.7% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($32,486 vs. $15,134)

Jefferson vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at Jefferson (3.73)
  • Jefferson has a higher acceptance rate (88.9%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

Jefferson vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Jefferson or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and Jefferson.

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn on average $54,200 more per year than William & Mary graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $68,700)
  • Thomas Jefferson University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than William & Mary graduates. ($12,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Jefferson graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than William & Mary graduates. ($129 vs. $201)
  • More Jefferson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William & Mary students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 85%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/