JCU vs. JMU

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

 JCU JMU
Location University Heights, OH Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,922 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #286 #260
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jcu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 JCU JMU
Tuition (In State) $45,490 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $45,490 $24,744
Room & Board $13,200 $12,040
Avg Net Price $30,496 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $30,415 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

 JCU JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,310 30,727
Admitted 3,550 24,062
Acceptance Rate 82.4% 78.3%
Enrolled % 15.9% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 23/29
SAT Range 1160/1320 1140/1320
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

 JCU JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 JCU JMU
Graduation Rate 71% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,600 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,939 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $278 $216

Diversity

 JCU JMU
% Men 52% 42%
% Women 48% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 76%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 JCU JMU
% In-State 66% 73%
% Out-of-State 34% 26%

Campus

 JCU JMU
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 JCU based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 2,922 students)

JCU vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JCU or JMU?

  • John Carroll University is 492% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($45,490.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.8% higher at JCU than James Madison University ($45,490.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than JCU ($18,274 vs. $30,496)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 9.6% lower than costs at John Carroll University ($12,040 vs. $13,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Carroll University than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Carroll University students is 201.7% larger than aid received James Madison University ($30,415 vs. $10,081)

JCU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 7 points higher than at JCU (1127)
  • Incoming JCU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman JCU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • JCU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than JMU (78.3%)

JCU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, JCU or JMU? 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 JMU and JCU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than John Carroll University (81% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $2,700 more per year than JCU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $57,600)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $6,040 lower median federal student loan debt than JCU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,939)
  • JMU graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than JCU graduates. ($216 vs. $278)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JCU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 74%)

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