Penn State York vs. JMU

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

Penn State York JMU
Location York, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 718 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 York JMU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $24,318 $24,744
Room & Board $12,984 $12,040
Avg Net Price $18,910 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 33%

Admission

Penn State York JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,005 30,727
Admitted 1,862 24,062
Acceptance Rate 92.9% 78.3%
Enrolled % 10.3% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/26 23/29
SAT Range 1090/1300 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 York JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Work and Family Studies (24%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Penn State York JMU
Graduation Rate 45% 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 York JMU
% Men 64% 42%
% Women 36% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 76%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 15% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Penn State York JMU
% In-State 81% 73%
% Out-of-State 17% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 718 students)

Penn State York vs. JMU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State York 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 York ($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 York ($18,274 vs. $18,910)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 7.8% lower than costs at Penn State York ($12,040 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State York than James Madison University (84% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 19.4% larger than aid received Penn State York ($10,081 vs. $8,440)

Penn State York vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 84 points higher than at Penn State York (1050)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State York (24)
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than JMU (78.3%)

Penn State York vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State York 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 York.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State York (81% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State York 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 York graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
  • JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State York 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/