OWU vs. JMU

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

OWU JMU
Location Delaware, OH Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,410 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #356 #260
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website owu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OWU JMU
Tuition (In State) $49,262 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $49,262 $24,744
Room & Board $13,745 $12,040
Avg Net Price $27,311 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $36,757 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

OWU JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,324 30,727
Admitted 2,778 24,062
Acceptance Rate 52.2% 78.3%
Enrolled % 16.3% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 23/29
SAT Range 1123/1358 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 Mar 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

OWU JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

OWU JMU
Graduation Rate 61% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,600 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $279 $216

Diversity

OWU JMU
% Men 44% 42%
% Women 56% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 76%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

OWU JMU
% In-State 66% 73%
% Out-of-State 27% 26%

Campus

OWU 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 OWU based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 1,410 students)

OWU vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OWU or JMU?

  • Ohio Wesleyan University is 541.1% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($49,262.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.1% higher at OWU than James Madison University ($49,262.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than OWU ($18,274 vs. $27,311)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 14.2% lower than costs at Ohio Wesleyan University ($12,040 vs. $13,745)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Wesleyan University than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ohio Wesleyan University students is 264.6% larger than aid received James Madison University ($36,757 vs. $10,081)

OWU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at OWU (3.54)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than OWU (52.2%)

OWU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OWU 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 OWU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Ohio Wesleyan University (81% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $10,700 more per year than OWU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $49,600)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $6,101 lower median federal student loan debt than OWU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $27,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than OWU graduates. ($216 vs. $279)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OWU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

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