Penn State Brandywine vs. JMU

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

Penn State Brandywine JMU
Location Media, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,196 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #729 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Brandywine JMU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $24,318 $24,744
Room & Board $13,930 $12,040
Avg Net Price $21,600 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $9,638 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 70% 33%

Admission

Penn State Brandywine JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,440 30,727
Admitted 2,347 24,062
Acceptance Rate 96.2% 78.3%
Enrolled % 17% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/31 23/29
SAT Range 1070/1285 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 Brandywine JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Work and Family Studies (28%)
  • Communication (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Penn State Brandywine JMU
Graduation Rate 37% 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 Brandywine JMU
% Men 61% 42%
% Women 39% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 76%
% Black 15% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Penn State Brandywine JMU
% In-State 74% 73%
% Out-of-State 24% 26%

Campus

Penn State Brandywine JMU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 Brandywine based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 1,196 students)

Penn State Brandywine vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Brandywine is 90.3% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at JMU than Penn State Brandywine ($24,744.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Penn State Brandywine ($18,274 vs. $21,600)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 15.7% lower than costs at Penn State Brandywine ($12,040 vs. $13,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Brandywine than James Madison University (70% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 4.6% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($10,081 vs. $9,638)

Penn State Brandywine vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 165 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (969)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Brandywine (22)
  • Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (96.2%) than JMU (78.3%)

Penn State Brandywine vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Brandywine (81% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine 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/