Penn State New Kensington vs. JMU

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

 Penn State New Kensington JMU
Location Upper Burrell, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 456 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 New Kensington JMU
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $23,316 $25,128
Room & Board $13,448 $12,584
Avg Net Price $19,294 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $7,450 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 81%

Admission

 Penn State New Kensington JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 643 35,750
Admitted 600 27,258
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 76.2%
Enrolled % 20.8% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/27 25/29
SAT Range 1030/1270 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, 2025

Academics

 Penn State New Kensington JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State New Kensington JMU
Graduation Rate 40% 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 New Kensington JMU
% Men 1% 2%
% Women 6% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 76%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Penn State New Kensington JMU
% In-State 85% 73%
% Out-of-State 13% 26%

Campus

 Penn State New Kensington JMU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 New Kensington based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 456 students)

Penn State New Kensington vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State New Kensington or JMU?

  • Penn State New Kensington is 74.7% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at JMU than Penn State New Kensington ($25,128.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State New Kensington than JMU ($19,294 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 6.9% lower than costs at Penn State New Kensington ($12,584 vs. $13,448)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State New Kensington than James Madison University (91% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State New Kensington students is 67.2% larger than aid received James Madison University ($7,450 vs. $4,456)

Penn State New Kensington vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 154 points higher than at Penn State New Kensington (980)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State New Kensington (21)
  • Penn State New Kensington has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than JMU (76.2%)

Penn State New Kensington vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State New Kensington (81% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State New Kensington 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/