Jefferson University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Jefferson University is a private college in Pennsylvania that admits most qualified applicants (around 81%), which puts it in the accessible range. A rate like this means it admits most qualified applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Jefferson University weighs, where it ranks among Pennsylvania schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1150, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Jefferson University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Jefferson University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Jefferson University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Jefferson University?
At Jefferson University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 81% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Jefferson University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Jefferson University hard to get into?
Jefferson University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 81% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Jefferson University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Jefferson University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Jefferson University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Jefferson University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Jefferson University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Jefferson University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1250 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1250 SAT, the middle of Jefferson University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1330 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/jefferson-university.
How to get into Jefferson University
Built from Jefferson University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Jefferson University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Jefferson University carries about a 3.11 core GPA and a 1280 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1160 to 1330 SAT (25 to 30 ACT). Submit a score at 1245 or higher; below 1160, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Jefferson University rates rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Jefferson University's exact dates at www.jefferson.edu.
How many students apply to Jefferson University, and how many get in?
6,084 students applied to Jefferson University for fall 2023; 5,241 were admitted (86.1%). 783 enrolled. Only about 15% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Jefferson University enrolls about 3,755 undergraduates in total, 74% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Jefferson University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Jefferson University scored between 1160 and 1330 on the SAT (average 1243). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 25 to 30. A score above 1330 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1160 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Jefferson University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Jefferson University looks for
What Jefferson University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Jefferson University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Jefferson University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Jefferson University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Jefferson University cost after financial aid?
Jefferson University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $64,197 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $47,505. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,928 a year, and it ranges from $22,537 for families earning under $30,000 to $34,889 for families earning over $110,000. 37% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Jefferson University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Jefferson University student who received federal aid earns $77,449 a year, up from $64,335 at six years. 69% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 82% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $14,744; 86% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Jefferson University compares in Pennsylvania
Jefferson University ranks #40 most selective of 62 schools in Pennsylvania in our database.
Among the 62 Pennsylvania schools we track, Jefferson University ranks #40 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like University of Pennsylvania (5%) and Swarthmore College (7%) sit nearby, which makes Pennsylvania a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Jefferson University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Jefferson University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Marquette University, Albion College, and Aurora University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Jefferson University's acceptance rate?
Jefferson University admitted 5,241 of 6,084 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 86.1% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 15% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Jefferson University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1160 to 1330 on the SAT and 25 to 30 on the ACT. A score above 1330 is in the top quarter of admits. Jefferson University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Jefferson University test-optional?
Yes. Jefferson University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Jefferson University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Jefferson University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $28,928 a year against a sticker price of about $64,197. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $22,537 on average.
What do Jefferson University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Jefferson University are $77,449 a year among students who received federal aid, and 69% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Jefferson University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Jefferson University weighs rigor of secondary school record and academic GPA most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Jefferson University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Jefferson University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Jefferson University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Jefferson University specifically.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.