Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. JMU

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

 Penn State Greater Allegheny JMU
Location McKeesport, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 363 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 Greater Allegheny 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 $19,505 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $10,269 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 33%

Admission

 Penn State Greater Allegheny JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 672 30,727
Admitted 589 24,062
Acceptance Rate 87.6% 78.3%
Enrolled % 19.5% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29
SAT Range 1040/1300 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 Greater Allegheny JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Psychology (35%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny JMU
% Men 61% 42%
% Women 39% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 76%
% Black 19% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Penn State Greater Allegheny JMU
% In-State 68% 73%
% Out-of-State 30% 26%

Campus

 Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 363 students)

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or JMU?

  • Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny ($24,744.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($18,274 vs. $19,505)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 1.8% lower than costs at Penn State Greater Allegheny ($12,040 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than James Madison University (85% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students is 1.9% larger than aid received James Madison University ($10,269 vs. $10,081)

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 191 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Greater Allegheny (23)
  • Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (87.6%) than JMU (78.3%)

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny.

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