Jefferson College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Hillsboro, Missouri. It enrolls 2,552 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
67/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes41
Value72
Affordability52
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Jefferson College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Jefferson College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $7,378 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$7,378
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
8%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,250
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,850
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,388
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,388
Books & Supplies
$720
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$7,634
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,634
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,572
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$6,048
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,745
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,614
$75,001 – $110,000
$9,711
Over $110,000
$10,568
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,50010%percentile
$2,75025%percentile
$9,285Medianpercentile
$13,00075%percentile
$22,84090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,486
↓ $1,799
No Pell $5,000
↓ $4,285
Dependent students $5,000
↓ $4,285
Independent students $9,500
↑ $215
Female students $6,485
↓ $2,800
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,785
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,285), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
22% of full-time students who enrolled at Jefferson College graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Jefferson College earn a median of $40,782 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,782
Earning > $25K
68%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$36,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$39,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $14,300, about 33% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 70% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Jefferson College is home to 2,552 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 46% are first-generation college students, 40% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
2,552
Part-Time
40%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 87.3%2,227
Other 3.8%96
Hispanic 3.6%93
Black 3.0%76
Asian 1.3%33
International 1.1%27
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Jefferson College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeHillsboro, Missouri
Housing
Limited on-campus housing204 beds
Adult Learners
16%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Jefferson College offers
a varied set of programs:
29 distinct programs across
14 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Jefferson College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,231
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$711,533
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$67,329
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
88 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
37
42%
$83,224
Associate Professors
14
16%
$61,484
Assistant Professors
19
22%
$56,632
Instructors
16
18%
$51,788
No Rank
2
2%
$40,146
Pros & Cons of Jefferson College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Jefferson College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Jefferson College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Jefferson College.
Is Jefferson College hard to get into?
Jefferson College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Jefferson College?
Jefferson College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Jefferson College cost?
The average net price after aid at Jefferson College is $7,378 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Jefferson College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,782 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $7,378 per year. That's roughly 5.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Jefferson College known for?
Jefferson College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Jefferson College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Jefferson College are $40,782, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Jefferson College accredited?
Yes. Jefferson College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Jefferson College?
Jefferson College enrolls 2,552 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Jefferson College?
Jefferson College graduates 22% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Jefferson College a public or private college?
Jefferson College is a Public institution.
Where is Jefferson College located?
Jefferson College is located in Hillsboro, Missouri.
What programs does Jefferson College offer?
Jefferson College offers 29 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Jefferson College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Jefferson College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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