Penn State Hazleton vs. JMU

Should I go to Penn State Hazleton or James Madison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Hazleton 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Mason Virginia Tech VCU UVA CNU Old Dominion Mary Washington College William & Mary UD Elon ASU Penn State
Penn State Hazleton vs. James Madison University comparison
Penn State Hazleton James Madison University College 3 College 4
James Madison University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn State Hazleton JMU
Location Hazleton, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 473 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 Hazleton JMU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $24,318 $24,744
Room & Board $12,254 $12,040
Avg Net Price $18,724 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $11,106 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 33%

Admission

Penn State Hazleton JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 585 30,727
Admitted 526 24,062
Acceptance Rate 89.9% 78.3%
Enrolled % 28.3% 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 1020/1280 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 Hazleton JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (42%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Engineering Technology (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Psychology (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Penn State Hazleton JMU
Graduation Rate 52% 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 Hazleton JMU
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 76%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 19% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Penn State Hazleton JMU
% In-State 79% 73%
% Out-of-State 19% 26%

Campus

Penn State Hazleton 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 Hazleton based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 473 students)

Penn State Hazleton vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Hazleton 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 Hazleton ($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 Hazleton ($18,274 vs. $18,724)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 1.8% lower than costs at Penn State Hazleton ($12,040 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Hazleton than James Madison University (95% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Hazleton students is 10.2% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,106 vs. $10,081)

Penn State Hazleton vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 182 points higher than at Penn State Hazleton (952)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Hazleton (21)
  • Penn State Hazleton has a higher acceptance rate (89.9%) than JMU (78.3%)

Penn State Hazleton vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Hazleton 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 Hazleton.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Hazleton (81% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Hazleton 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 Hazleton graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Hazleton graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Hazleton 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/