Howard vs. JMU

Deciding between Howard University and James Madison University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Howard University
James Madison University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Howard Washington, DC
  • JMU Harrisonburg, VA
  • Setting
  • Howard Large City
  • JMU Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Howard 14,890
  • JMU 22,740
  • Type
  • Howard Private 4 Year
  • JMU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Howard #310
  • JMU #246
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Howard -
  • JMU -
  • Status
  • Howard Non-profit
  • JMU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Howard
  • JMU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • JMU $14,250
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Howard $35,810
  • JMU $31,604
  • Room & Board
  • Howard $17,322
  • JMU $13,056
  • Average Net Price
  • Howard $33,368
  • JMU $18,856
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Howard $21,262
  • JMU $12,114
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Howard 99%
  • JMU 33%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Howard 34,211
  • JMU 38,428
  • Admitted
  • Howard 14,144
  • JMU 27,482
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Howard 41.3%
  • JMU 71.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Howard 19.4%
  • JMU 18.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Howard 1210
  • JMU 1260
  • Typical ACT score
  • Howard 25
  • JMU 26
  • Average High School GPA
  • Howard 3.66
  • JMU 3.57
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Howard A-
  • JMU A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Howard Challenging
  • JMU Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Howard Low
  • JMU Low
  • ACT Range
  • Howard 22/28
  • JMU 24/29
  • SAT Range
  • Howard 1090/1320
  • JMU 1170/1340
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Howard Test optional
  • JMU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Howard Feb 15, 2027
  • JMU Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Howard 13:1
  • JMU 17:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Howard
    • Business (20%)
    • Communication (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Psychology (9%)
  • JMU
    • Business (16%)
    • Health Professions (13%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Howard 63%
  • JMU 81%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Howard $51,800
  • JMU $60,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Howard 33%
  • JMU 83%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Howard $27,000
  • JMU $20,899
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Howard $279
  • JMU $216

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Howard 30%
  • JMU 43%
  • % Women
  • Howard 70%
  • JMU 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Howard Very Low
  • JMU Low
  • HBCU
  • Howard Yes
  • JMU No
  • % White
  • Howard 2%
  • JMU 76%
  • % Asian
  • Howard 1%
  • JMU 4%
  • % Black
  • Howard 91%
  • JMU 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Howard 0%
  • JMU 6%
  • % Native American
  • Howard 1%
  • JMU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Howard 0%
  • JMU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Howard 0%
  • JMU 4%
  • % International
  • Howard 5%
  • JMU 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Howard 0%
  • JMU 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Howard 2%
  • JMU 69%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Howard 94%
  • JMU 30%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Howard Yes
  • JMU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Howard Yes
  • JMU No
  • Meal Plan
  • Howard Yes
  • JMU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Howard No
  • JMU No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Howard No
  • JMU No

Comparable Facts

Compare Howard University in Washington, DC with James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

James Madison University is larger than Howard based on total student enrollment (22,740 students vs. 14,890 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Howard University is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); James Madison University is in Harrisonburg, VA (Small City setting).
  • Howard University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. James Madison University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Howard University 13:1; James Madison University 17:1.

Howard vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or JMU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Howard ($18,856 vs. $33,368).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 24.6% lower than at Howard University ($13,056 vs. $17,322).
  • Howard University is 151.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than JMU (about $21,560 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $14,250.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 13.3% higher at Howard than at James Madison University (about $4,206 more per year; $35,810.00 vs. $31,604.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Howard University than at James Madison University (99% vs. 33%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 75.5% larger than aid received by James Madison University students ($21,262 vs. $12,114).

Howard vs. JMU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Howard or JMU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between JMU and Howard.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at James Madison University (1260) is 50 points higher than at Howard (1210).
  • Incoming JMU students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (26 vs. 25 at Howard).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 1090/1320; James Madison University 1170/1340.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Howard University 22/28; James Madison University 24/29.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Howard - Test optional; JMU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Howard Feb 15, 2027; JMU Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at JMU (3.57).
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (71.5%) than Howard (41.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at Howard vs. 18.2% at JMU.

Howard vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Howard and JMU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • James Madison University's six-year graduation rate (81%) is higher than Howard University's (63%).
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn a median of about $8,500 more per year than Howard graduates about ten years after starting college ($60,300 vs. $51,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, James Madison University graduates have a $6,101 lower median loan debt than Howard graduates ($20,899 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, JMU graduates have an estimated $63 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Howard graduates ($216 vs. $279).
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.