William & Mary vs. JMU

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

William & Mary JMU
Location Williamsburg, VA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,654 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #61 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wm.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William & Mary JMU
Tuition (In State) $17,434 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $40,089 $24,744
Room & Board $13,828 $12,040
Avg Net Price $25,688 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $15,134 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 33%

Admission

William & Mary JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,087 30,727
Admitted 6,059 24,062
Acceptance Rate 33.5% 78.3%
Enrolled % 27.1% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 32/34 23/29
SAT Range 1375/1520 1140/1320
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 Jan 2, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

William & Mary JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

William & Mary JMU
Graduation Rate 91% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,700 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $201 $216

Diversity

William & Mary JMU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 76%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 3%

Students

William & Mary JMU
% In-State 58% 73%
% Out-of-State 36% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 9,654 students)

William & Mary vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • College of William and Mary is 126.9% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($17,434.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62% higher at William & Mary than James Madison University ($40,089.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than William & Mary ($18,274 vs. $25,688)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 14.9% lower than costs at College of William and Mary ($12,040 vs. $13,828)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of William and Mary than James Madison University (66% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of William and Mary students is 50.1% larger than aid received James Madison University ($15,134 vs. $10,081)

William & Mary vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 219 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

William & Mary vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William & Mary 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 William & Mary.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than James Madison University (91% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $8,400 more per year than JMU graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $60,300)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $1,399 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,899)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($201 vs. $216)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JMU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 83%)

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