Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. JMU

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

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College JMU
Location Erie, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,323 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #538 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College JMU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $25,128
Room & Board $14,774 $12,584
Avg Net Price $20,964 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $10,930 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 81%

Admission

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,827 35,750
Admitted 4,620 27,258
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 76.2%
Enrolled % 18.7% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 25/29
SAT Range 1110/1320 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 Erie-Behrend College JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College JMU
Graduation Rate 66% 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 Erie-Behrend College JMU
% Men 2% 2%
% Women 1% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 76%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College JMU
% In-State 74% 73%
% Out-of-State 19% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 3,323 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or JMU?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is 94.4% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.9% higher at Penn State Erie-Behrend College than James Madison University ($26,112.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than JMU ($20,964 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 17.4% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($12,584 vs. $14,774)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (81% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Erie Behrend College students is 145.3% larger than aid received James Madison University ($10,930 vs. $4,456)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 80 points higher than at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1054)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than JMU (76.2%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Erie Behrend College (81% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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/