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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 | Virginia Military Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
JMU | VMI | ||
| Location | Harrisonburg, VA | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 22,758 | 1,560 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #259 | #175 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | jmu.edu | vmi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
JMU | VMI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,914 | $10,076 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,128 | $40,778 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,584 | $10,990 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,317 | $17,229 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,456 | $13,735 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 81% | 81% |
Admission |
JMU | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 35,750 | 1,171 | ||
| Admitted | 27,258 | 957 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 76.2% | 81.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.1% | 49% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.57 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/29 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1170/1320 | 1040/1260 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
JMU | VMI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
JMU | VMI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 81% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $60,300 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,899 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $216 | $258 |
Diversity |
JMU | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 61% | ||
| % Women | 5% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 76% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 0% |
Students |
JMU | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 73% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 35% | ||
Campus |
JMU | VMI | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| 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 VMI based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 1,560 students)
JMU vs. VMI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, JMU or VMI?
- Virginia Military Institute is 27.3% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($10,076.00 vs. $7,914.00)
- Out of state tuition is 62.3% higher at VMI than James Madison University ($40,778.00 vs. $25,128.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than JMU ($17,229 vs. $26,317)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 14.5% lower than costs at James Madison University ($10,990 vs. $12,584)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University as Virginia Military Institute (81% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 208.2% larger than aid received James Madison University ($13,735 vs. $4,456)
JMU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, JMU or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or JMU .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 5 points higher than at JMU (1134)
- Incoming JMU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at VMI (25)
- Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at JMU (3.57)
- VMI has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than JMU (76.2%)
JMU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, JMU or VMI? 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 VMI and JMU.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Virginia Military Institute (81% vs. 69%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $1,800 more per year than JMU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $60,300)
- James Madison University students graduate with a $4,101 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($20,899 vs. $25,000)
- JMU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($216 vs. $258)
- More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JMU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/