Manhattan College vs. JMU

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

Manhattan College JMU
Location Riverdale, NY Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 3,575 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #170 #260
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website manhattan.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Manhattan College JMU
Tuition (In State) $44,100 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $44,100 $24,744
Room & Board $18,440 $12,040
Avg Net Price $29,535 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $31,882 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

Manhattan College JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,930 30,727
Admitted 8,172 24,062
Acceptance Rate 82.3%Open 78.3%
Enrolled % 9.2%Open 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 23/29
SAT Range 1140/1330 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 Aug 31, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Manhattan College JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (25%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Manhattan College JMU
Graduation Rate 72% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,700 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $268 $216

Diversity

Manhattan College JMU
% Men 57% 42%
% Women 43% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 76%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 21% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 3%

Students

Manhattan College JMU
% In-State 72% 73%
% Out-of-State 25% 26%

Campus

Manhattan College JMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than Manhattan College based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 3,575 students)

Manhattan College vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Manhattan College or JMU?

  • Manhattan College is 473.9% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($44,100.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 78.2% higher at Manhattan College than James Madison University ($44,100.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Manhattan College ($18,274 vs. $29,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 53.2% lower than costs at Manhattan College ($12,040 vs. $18,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Manhattan College than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Manhattan College students is 216.3% larger than aid received James Madison University ($31,882 vs. $10,081)

Manhattan College vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 37 points higher than at Manhattan College (1097)
  • Incoming Manhattan College students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Manhattan College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • Manhattan College has a higher acceptance rate (82.3%) than JMU (78.3%)

Manhattan College vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Manhattan College 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 Manhattan College.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Manhattan College (81% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Manhattan College earn on average $6,400 more per year than JMU graduates after ten years. ($66,700 vs. $60,300)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Manhattan College graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Manhattan College graduates. ($216 vs. $268)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Manhattan College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 82%)

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