Penn State Beaver vs. JMU

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

 Penn State Beaver JMU
Location Monaca, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 522 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Beaver JMU
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $24,744
Room & Board $12,254 $12,040
Avg Net Price $18,113 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $9,274 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 33%

Admission

 Penn State Beaver JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,707 30,727
Admitted 1,591 24,062
Acceptance Rate 93.2% 78.3%
Enrolled % 10.6% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 23/29
SAT Range 1050/1260 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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Penn State Beaver JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (54%)
  • Psychology (24%)
  • Communication (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (1%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Beaver JMU
Graduation Rate 47% 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 Beaver JMU
% Men 55% 42%
% Women 45% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 76%
% Black 9% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Penn State Beaver JMU
% In-State 63% 73%
% Out-of-State 34% 26%

Campus

 Penn State Beaver 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 Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 522 students)

Penn State Beaver vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Beaver or JMU?

  • Penn State Beaver is 79.9% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at JMU than Penn State Beaver ($24,744.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Beaver than JMU ($18,113 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 1.8% lower than costs at Penn State Beaver ($12,040 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Beaver than James Madison University (87% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 8.7% larger than aid received Penn State Beaver ($10,081 vs. $9,274)

Penn State Beaver vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 135 points higher than at Penn State Beaver (999)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Beaver (21)
  • Penn State Beaver has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than JMU (78.3%)

Penn State Beaver vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Beaver 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 Beaver.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Beaver (81% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Beaver 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 Beaver graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Beaver graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Beaver 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/