Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. JMU

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

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
Location Mahwah, NJ Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 5,521 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #317 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ramapo.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
Tuition (In State) $15,978 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $26,388 $25,128
Room & Board $15,834 $12,584
Avg Net Price $17,348 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $12,980 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 81%

Admission

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,553 35,750
Admitted 5,530 27,258
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 76.2%
Enrolled % 18.3% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/26 25/29
SAT Range 1120/1270 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 Feb 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
Graduation Rate 71% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,846 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $236 $216

Diversity

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
% Men 3% 2%
% Women 7% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 76%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
% In-State 93% 73%
% Out-of-State 6% 26%

Campus

Ramapo College of New Jersey JMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than Ramapo College of New Jersey based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 5,521 students)

Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ramapo College of New Jersey or JMU?

  • Ramapo College of New Jersey is 101.9% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($15,978.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at Ramapo College of New Jersey than James Madison University ($26,388.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ramapo College of New Jersey than JMU ($17,348 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 25.8% lower than costs at Ramapo College of New Jersey ($12,584 vs. $15,834)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than Ramapo College of New Jersey (81% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ramapo College of New Jersey students is 191.3% larger than aid received James Madison University ($12,980 vs. $4,456)

Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 44 points higher than at Ramapo College of New Jersey (1090)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Ramapo College of New Jersey (23)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Ramapo College of New Jersey (3.47)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Ramapo College of New Jersey (73.2%)

Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ramapo College of New Jersey 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 Ramapo College of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Ramapo College of New Jersey (81% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $8,900 more per year than Ramapo College of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $51,400)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $1,947 lower median federal student loan debt than Ramapo College of New Jersey graduates. ($20,899 vs. $22,846)
  • JMU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Ramapo College of New Jersey graduates. ($216 vs. $236)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ramapo College of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 71%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/