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Mason Virginia Tech VCU UVA CNU Old Dominion Mary Washington College William & Mary UD Elon ASU Penn State| James Madison University | Southern Virginia University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
JMU | SVU | ||
| Location | Harrisonburg, VA | Buena Vista, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 22,758 | 967 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #259 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | jmu.edu | svu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
JMU | SVU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,914 | $19,790 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,128 | $19,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,584 | $9,376 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,317 | $25,440 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,456 | $7,775 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 81% | 100% |
Admission |
JMU | SVU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 35,750 | 1,101 | ||
| Admitted | 27,258 | 1,097 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 76.2% | 99.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.1% | 26.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.57 | 3.19 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/29 | 18/25 | ||
| SAT Range | 1170/1320 | 943/1253 | ||
| 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 | SVU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
JMU | SVU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 81% | 25% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $60,300 | $40,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,899 | $23,654 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $216 | $244 |
Diversity |
JMU | SVU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 29% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
JMU | SVU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 73% | 12% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 73% | ||
Campus |
JMU | SVU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | 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 SVU based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 967 students)
JMU vs. SVU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, JMU or SVU?
- Southern Virginia University is 150.1% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($19,790.00 vs. $7,914.00)
- Out of state tuition is 27% higher at JMU than Southern Virginia University ($25,128.00 vs. $19,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Virginia University than JMU ($25,440 vs. $26,317)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 34.2% lower than costs at James Madison University ($9,376 vs. $12,584)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than James Madison University (100% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Southern Virginia University students is 74.5% larger than aid received James Madison University ($7,775 vs. $4,456)
JMU vs. SVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, JMU or SVU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SVU or JMU .
- The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 93 points higher than at SVU (1041)
- Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at SVU (23)
- Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at SVU (3.19)
- SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.6%) than JMU (76.2%)
JMU vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, JMU or SVU? 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 SVU and JMU.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Southern Virginia University (81% vs. 25%)
- Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $19,700 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $40,600)
- James Madison University students graduate with a $2,755 lower median federal student loan debt than SVU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $23,654)
- JMU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than SVU graduates. ($216 vs. $244)
- More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/