Jefferson vs. UVA

Should I go to Thomas Jefferson University or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Jefferson or UVA 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. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
Thomas Jefferson University University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Virginia Main Campus
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Overview

 Jefferson UVA
Location Philadelphia, PA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 8,286 26,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jefferson.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Jefferson UVA
Tuition (In State) $43,100 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $43,100 $51,870
Room & Board $14,715 $12,890
Avg Net Price $28,110 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $32,486 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 34%

Admission

 Jefferson UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,723 50,926
Admitted 5,085 9,503
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 18.7%
Enrolled % 14.9% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 27/31 32/34
SAT Range 1130/1350 1400/1540
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

 Jefferson UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 Jefferson UVA
Graduation Rate - 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $122,900 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $129 $201

Diversity

 Jefferson UVA
% Men 27% 45%
% Women 73% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 60%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 1% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

 Jefferson UVA
% In-State 63% 62%
% Out-of-State 35% 33%

Campus

 Jefferson UVA
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

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than Jefferson based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 8,286 students)

Jefferson vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Jefferson or UVA?

  • Thomas Jefferson University is 153.8% more expensive to attend than UVA for in-state tuition ($43,100.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.3% higher at UVA than Thomas Jefferson University ($51,870.00 vs. $43,100.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than Jefferson ($19,469 vs. $28,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 14.2% lower than costs at Thomas Jefferson University ($12,890 vs. $14,715)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Thomas Jefferson University than University of Virginia Main Campus (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Thomas Jefferson University students is 21.1% larger than aid received University of Virginia Main Campus ($32,486 vs. $26,818)

Jefferson vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman UVA 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 UVA (18.7%)

Jefferson vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Jefferson or UVA? 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 UVA and Jefferson.

  • Graduates from Thomas Jefferson University earn on average $45,700 more per year than UVA graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $77,200)
  • Thomas Jefferson University students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($12,500 vs. $19,500)
  • Jefferson graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($129 vs. $201)
  • More Jefferson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVA students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 86%)

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