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USD Mason UCSD Virginia Tech VCU UC Riverside UVA CNU Cal State Fullerton Cal Poly Cal State Long Beach UCSC| San Diego State University | James Madison University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
| Location | San Diego, CA | Harrisonburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 39,241 | 22,758 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #337 | #259 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sdsu.edu | jmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $7,914 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $25,128 | ||
| Room & Board | $21,630 | $12,584 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,500 | $26,317 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,459 | $4,456 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 81% |
Admission |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 82,800 | 35,750 | ||
| Admitted | 28,517 | 27,258 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.4% | 76.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.6% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.82 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 25/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1300 | 1170/1320 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 22:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 66% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,400 | $60,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $15,349 | $20,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $158 | $216 |
Diversity |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 75% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 26% | ||
Campus |
San Diego State | JMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- San Diego State University is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (39,241 students vs. 22,758 students)
San Diego State vs. JMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, San Diego State or JMU?
- James Madison University is 37.8% more expensive to attend than San Diego State for in-state tuition ($7,914.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 42.6% higher at JMU than San Diego State University ($25,128.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego State University than JMU ($19,500 vs. $26,317)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 71.9% lower than costs at San Diego State University ($12,584 vs. $21,630)
- More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego State University than James Madison University (94% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego State University students is 22.5% larger than aid received James Madison University ($5,459 vs. $4,456)
San Diego State vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, San Diego State or JMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JMU or San Diego State .
- The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 4 points higher than at San Diego State (1130)
- Incoming San Diego State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at JMU (25)
- Accepted freshman San Diego State students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at JMU (3.57)
- JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than San Diego State (34.4%)
San Diego State vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, San Diego State 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 San Diego State.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than San Diego State University (81% vs. 66%)
- Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $6,900 more per year than San Diego State graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $53,400)
- San Diego State University students graduate with a $5,550 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($15,349 vs. $20,899)
- San Diego State graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($158 vs. $216)
- More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego State students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/