JMU vs. Penn State

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

 JMU Penn State
Location Harrisonburg, VA University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 22,758 50,399
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #259 #171
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 JMU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $7,914 $19,672
Tuition (Out of State) $25,128 $39,626
Room & Board $12,584 $13,030
Avg Net Price $26,317 $27,450
Avg Grant Aid $4,456 $11,577
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 36%

Admission

 JMU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,750 85,956
Admitted 27,258 46,605
Acceptance Rate 76.2% 54.2%
Enrolled % 18.1% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/29 27/32
SAT Range 1170/1320 1220/1400
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 15, 2026

Academics

 JMU Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 JMU Penn State
Graduation Rate 81% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,899 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $216 $277

Diversity

 JMU Penn State
% Men 2% 8%
% Women 5% 8%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 69%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 JMU Penn State
% In-State 73% 51%
% Out-of-State 26% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 22,758 students)

JMU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JMU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 148.6% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.7% higher at Penn State than James Madison University ($39,626.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Penn State ($26,317 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 3.5% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,584 vs. $13,030)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than Penn State Main Campus (81% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 159.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,577 vs. $4,456)

JMU vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 68 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at JMU (25)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Penn State (54.2%)

JMU vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, JMU or Penn State? 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 Penn State and JMU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than James Madison University (87% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $55,300)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $5,919 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

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