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.

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Penn State Hazleton vs. James Madison University comparison
Penn State Hazleton James Madison University College 3 College 4
James Madison University
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Overview

Penn State Hazleton JMU
Location Hazleton, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 510 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Hazleton JMU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $24,562 $25,128
Room & Board $12,022 $12,584
Avg Net Price $19,920 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $10,808 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 81%

Admission

Penn State Hazleton JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 714 35,750
Admitted 650 27,258
Acceptance Rate 91% 76.2%
Enrolled % 30.8% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/29
SAT Range 1060/1320 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 Hazleton JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 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 0% 2%
% Women 0% 5%
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 (22,758 students vs. 510 students)

Penn State Hazleton vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Hazleton is 84.8% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.3% higher at JMU than Penn State Hazleton ($25,128.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Hazleton than JMU ($19,920 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Hazleton are 4.7% lower than costs at James Madison University ($12,022 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Hazleton than James Madison University (93% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Hazleton students is 142.5% larger than aid received James Madison University ($10,808 vs. $4,456)

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 (91%) than JMU (76.2%)

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/