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 22,224 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #260 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 JMU Penn State
Tuition (In State) $7,684 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $24,744 $35,946
Room & Board $12,040 $12,744
Avg Net Price $18,274 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,081 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 33% 44%

Admission

 JMU Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,727 85,784
Admitted 24,062 47,360
Acceptance Rate 78.3% 55.2%
Enrolled % 20.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 26/31
SAT Range 1140/1320 1210/1390
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, 2025

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 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
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 (50,028 students vs. 22,224 students)

JMU vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JMU or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 139% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.3% higher at Penn State than James Madison University ($35,946.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Penn State ($18,274 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 5.8% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,040 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Main Campus than James Madison University (44% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 0.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,081 vs. $10,066)

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 (78.3%) than Penn State (55.2%)

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/