Howard vs. JMU

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

Howard JMU
Location Washington, DC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 12,886 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Howard JMU
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $24,744
Room & Board $15,880 $12,040
Avg Net Price $28,279 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 33%

Admission

Howard JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 30,727
Admitted 10,253 24,062
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 78.3%
Enrolled % 24.3% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 23/29
SAT Range 1050/1290 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 Feb 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Howard JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

Howard JMU
% Men 29% 42%
% Women 71% 58%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 76%
% Black 91% 4%
% Hispanic 0% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Howard JMU
% In-State 1% 73%
% Out-of-State 91% 26%

Campus

Howard JMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes 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 Howard based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 12,886 students)

Howard vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or JMU?

  • Howard University is 298% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.6% higher at Howard than James Madison University ($30,584.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Howard ($18,274 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 31.9% lower than costs at Howard University ($12,040 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than James Madison University (99% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 99% larger than aid received James Madison University ($20,063 vs. $10,081)

Howard vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 29 points higher than at Howard (1105)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Howard (24)
  • 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 (78.3%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Howard University (81% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $8,500 more per year than Howard graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $51,800)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $6,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($20,899 vs. $27,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans 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/