Penn State vs. JMU

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

 Penn State JMU
Location University Park, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 50,399 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #171 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State JMU
Tuition (In State) $19,672 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $39,626 $25,128
Room & Board $13,030 $12,584
Avg Net Price $27,450 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $11,577 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 81%

Admission

 Penn State JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,956 35,750
Admitted 46,605 27,258
Acceptance Rate 54.2% 76.2%
Enrolled % 19.4% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 25/29
SAT Range 1220/1400 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

 Penn State JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State JMU
Graduation Rate 87% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $277 $216

Diversity

 Penn State JMU
% Men 8% 2%
% Women 8% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 76%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Penn State JMU
% In-State 51% 73%
% Out-of-State 40% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 22,758 students)

Penn State vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or JMU?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 148.6% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.7% higher at Penn State than James Madison University ($39,626.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Penn State ($26,317 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 3.5% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,584 vs. $13,030)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than Penn State Main Campus (81% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 159.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,577 vs. $4,456)

Penn State vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 68 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at JMU (25)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Penn State vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State 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 Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than James Madison University (87% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $55,300)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $5,919 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

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