Penn State Harrisburg vs. JMU

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

 Penn State Harrisburg JMU
Location Middletown, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,651 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #595 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg JMU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $25,128
Room & Board $15,870 $12,584
Avg Net Price $22,406 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $8,421 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 81%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,296 35,750
Admitted 9,924 27,258
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 76.2%
Enrolled % 12.2% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 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 Harrisburg JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg JMU
Graduation Rate 63% 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 Harrisburg JMU
% Men 5% 2%
% Women 6% 5%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 76%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg JMU
% In-State 46% 73%
% Out-of-State 27% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 4,651 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg than JMU ($22,406 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 26.1% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,584 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than Penn State Harrisburg (81% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 89% larger than aid received James Madison University ($8,421 vs. $4,456)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 91 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than JMU (76.2%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (81% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/