Meredith vs. JMU

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

Meredith JMU
Location Raleigh, NC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 1,587 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #396 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website meredith.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Meredith JMU
Tuition (In State) $42,420 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $42,420 $24,744
Room & Board $12,544 $12,040
Avg Net Price $23,259 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $29,825 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

Meredith JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,775 30,727
Admitted 1,299 24,062
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 78.3%
Enrolled % 25.6% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 23/29
SAT Range 1140/1320 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 Feb 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Meredith JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Meredith JMU
Graduation Rate 59% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $268 $216

Diversity

Meredith JMU
% Men 2% 42%
% Women 98% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Meredith JMU
% In-State 80% 73%
% Out-of-State 13% 26%

Campus

Meredith 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 Meredith based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 1,587 students)

Meredith vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Meredith or JMU?

  • Meredith College is 452.1% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($42,420.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 71.4% higher at Meredith than James Madison University ($42,420.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Meredith ($18,274 vs. $23,259)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 4.2% lower than costs at Meredith College ($12,040 vs. $12,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Meredith College than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Meredith College students is 195.9% larger than aid received James Madison University ($29,825 vs. $10,081)

Meredith vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 98 points higher than at Meredith (1036)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Meredith (23)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Meredith (3.52)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than Meredith (73.2%)

Meredith vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Meredith 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 Meredith.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Meredith College (81% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $20,300 more per year than Meredith graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $40,000)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $5,101 lower median federal student loan debt than Meredith graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Meredith graduates. ($216 vs. $268)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Meredith students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 65%)

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