Marietta College vs. JMU

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

Marietta College JMU
Location Marietta, OH Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,171 22,758
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #360 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website marietta.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Marietta College JMU
Tuition (In State) $37,752 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $37,752 $25,128
Room & Board $12,544 $12,584
Avg Net Price $21,333 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $31,049 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 81%

Admission

Marietta College JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,516 35,750
Admitted 1,978 27,258
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 76.2%
Enrolled % 15.9% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 25/29
SAT Range 990/1295 1170/1320
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, 2026

Academics

Marietta College JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Marietta College JMU
Graduation Rate 51% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,900 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $279 $216

Diversity

Marietta College JMU
% Men 2% 2%
% Women 6% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 76%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 14% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Marietta College JMU
% In-State 73% 73%
% Out-of-State 25% 26%

Campus

Marietta College 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 Marietta College based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 1,171 students)

Marietta College vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Marietta College or JMU?

  • Marietta College is 377% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($37,752.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.2% higher at Marietta College than James Madison University ($37,752.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marietta College than JMU ($21,333 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marietta College are 0.3% lower than costs at James Madison University ($12,544 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marietta College than James Madison University (88% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marietta College students is 596.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($31,049 vs. $4,456)

Marietta College vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 34 points higher than at Marietta College (1100)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Marietta College (24)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Marietta College (3.54)
  • Marietta College has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than JMU (76.2%)

Marietta College vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Marietta 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 Marietta College.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Marietta College (81% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $8,400 more per year than Marietta College graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $51,900)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $6,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Marietta College graduates. ($20,899 vs. $27,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Marietta College graduates. ($216 vs. $279)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Marietta College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 73%)

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