JMU vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to James Madison University or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if JMU or UVa-Wise 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. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
James Madison University The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
James Madison University The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

JMU UVa-Wise
Location Harrisonburg, VA Wise, VA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 22,224 1,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #260 #750
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jmu.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

JMU UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $7,684 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $24,744 $25,419
Room & Board $12,040 $11,919
Avg Net Price $18,274 $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $10,081 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 33% 98%

Admission

JMU UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,727 835
Admitted 24,062 631
Acceptance Rate 78.3% 75.6%
Enrolled % 20.2% 39.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 19/25
SAT Range 1140/1320 915/1160
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

JMU UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

JMU UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 81% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,300 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,899 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $216 $215

Diversity

JMU UVa-Wise
% Men 42% 40%
% Women 58% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 78%
% Black 4% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

JMU UVa-Wise
% In-State 73% 76%
% Out-of-State 26% 21%

Campus

JMU UVa-Wise
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 UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 1,704 students)

JMU vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JMU or UVa-Wise?

  • James Madison University is 27.2% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($7,684.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.7% higher at UVa-Wise than James Madison University ($25,419.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than JMU ($9,923 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Virginia's College at Wise are 1% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,919 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than James Madison University (98% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 41.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($14,299 vs. $10,081)

JMU vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 192 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.57) as students at UVa-Wise (3.57)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

JMU vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, JMU or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and JMU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (81% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $18,200 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $72 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $20,899)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($215 vs. $216)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVa-Wise students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 57%)

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