EMU vs. JMU

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

 EMU JMU
Location Harrisonburg, VA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,292 22,758
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1047 #259
Religious Affiliation Mennonite Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EMU JMU
Tuition (In State) $41,410 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $41,410 $25,128
Room & Board $12,620 $12,584
Avg Net Price $24,710 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $30,242 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 81%

Admission

 EMU JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,179 35,750
Admitted 1,176 27,258
Acceptance Rate 99.7% 76.2%
Enrolled % 15.9% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/34 25/29
SAT Range 1040/1590 1170/1320
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 EMU JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (30%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 EMU JMU
Graduation Rate 66% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,450 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $242 $216

Diversity

 EMU JMU
% Men 6% 2%
% Women 27% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 EMU JMU
% In-State 70% 73%
% Out-of-State 27% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than EMU based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 1,292 students)

EMU vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EMU or JMU?

  • Eastern Mennonite University is 423.2% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($41,410.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.8% higher at EMU than James Madison University ($41,410.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Mennonite University than JMU ($24,710 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 0.3% lower than costs at Eastern Mennonite University ($12,584 vs. $12,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Mennonite University than James Madison University (95% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Mennonite University students is 578.7% larger than aid received James Madison University ($30,242 vs. $4,456)

EMU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 125 points higher than at EMU (1009)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at EMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman EMU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • EMU has a higher acceptance rate (99.7%) than JMU (76.2%)

EMU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EMU 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 EMU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Eastern Mennonite University (81% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $16,400 more per year than EMU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $43,900)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $2,551 lower median federal student loan debt than EMU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $23,450)
  • JMU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than EMU graduates. ($216 vs. $242)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former EMU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

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