Penn State Worthington Scranton vs. JMU

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

Overview

 Penn State Worthington Scranton JMU
Location Dunmore, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 838 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 Worthington Scranton JMU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $24,562 $25,128
Room & Board $13,448 $12,584
Avg Net Price $18,239 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $8,992 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 81%

Admission

 Penn State Worthington Scranton JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,240 35,750
Admitted 2,125 27,258
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 76.2%
Enrolled % 11.2% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/29
SAT Range 1070/1280 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 Worthington Scranton JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Ethnic Studies (4%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Worthington Scranton JMU
Graduation Rate 46% 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 Worthington Scranton JMU
% Men 0% 2%
% Women 0% 5%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 76%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 Penn State Worthington Scranton JMU
% In-State 81% 73%
% Out-of-State 19% 26%

Campus

 Penn State Worthington Scranton 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 Worthington Scranton based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 838 students)

Penn State Worthington Scranton vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Worthington Scranton or JMU?

  • Penn State Worthington Scranton 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 Worthington Scranton ($25,128.00 vs. $24,562.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Worthington Scranton than JMU ($18,239 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 Worthington Scranton ($12,584 vs. $13,448)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than Penn State Worthington Scranton (81% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Worthington Scranton students is 101.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($8,992 vs. $4,456)

Penn State Worthington Scranton vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 179 points higher than at Penn State Worthington Scranton (955)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Worthington Scranton (19)
  • Penn State Worthington Scranton has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than JMU (76.2%)

Penn State Worthington Scranton vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Worthington Scranton 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 Worthington Scranton.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Worthington Scranton (81% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Worthington Scranton 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 Worthington Scranton graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Worthington Scranton graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Worthington Scranton 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/