Bryn Athyn College vs. JMU

Should I go to Bryn Athyn College of the New Church or James Madison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bryn Athyn College or JMU 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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Bryn Athyn College of the New Church vs. James Madison University comparison
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church James Madison University College 3 College 4
James Madison University
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Overview

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
Location Bryn Athyn, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 285 22,758
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #259
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website brynathyn.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
Tuition (In State) $25,893 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $25,893 $25,128
Room & Board $13,851 $12,584
Avg Net Price $19,204 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $20,264 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 81%

Admission

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 593 35,750
Admitted 440 27,258
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 76.2%
Enrolled % 17% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 2.87 3.57
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/29
SAT Range 1060/1298 1170/1320
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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (38%)
  • General Studies (19%)
  • History (17%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
Graduation Rate 30% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $20,899
Median Loan Payment N/A $216

Diversity

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
% Men 3% 2%
% Women 1% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 76%
% Black 21% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
% In-State 82% 73%
% Out-of-State 18% 26%

Campus

 Bryn Athyn College JMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than Bryn Athyn College based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 285 students)

Bryn Athyn College vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bryn Athyn College or JMU?

  • Bryn Athyn College of the New Church is 227.2% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($25,893.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Bryn Athyn College than James Madison University ($25,893.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church than JMU ($19,204 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 10.1% lower than costs at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church ($12,584 vs. $13,851)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church than James Madison University (99% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bryn Athyn College of the New Church students is 354.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($20,264 vs. $4,456)

Bryn Athyn College vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 182 points higher than at Bryn Athyn College (952)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Bryn Athyn College (21)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Bryn Athyn College (2.87)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Bryn Athyn College (74.2%)

Bryn Athyn College vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bryn Athyn College or JMU? 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 JMU and Bryn Athyn College.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Bryn Athyn College of the New Church (81% vs. 30%)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bryn Athyn College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 63%)

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