UTC vs. JMU

Should I go to The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga or James Madison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UTC 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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The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga vs. James Madison University comparison
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga James Madison University College 3 College 4
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga James Madison University
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Overview

 UTC JMU
Location Chattanooga, TN Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 11,380 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #815 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website utc.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UTC JMU
Tuition (In State) $8,232 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $16,296 $25,128
Room & Board $10,052 $12,584
Avg Net Price $13,801 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $9,834 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 81%

Admission

 UTC JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,096 35,750
Admitted 7,006 27,258
Acceptance Rate 77% 76.2%
Enrolled % 34% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 25/29
SAT Range 1005/1185 1170/1320
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 UTC JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 UTC JMU
Graduation Rate 39% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,600 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,792 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $214 $216

Diversity

 UTC JMU
% Men 5% 2%
% Women 8% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 76%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UTC JMU
% In-State 88% 73%
% Out-of-State 11% 26%

Campus

 UTC 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

  • James Madison University is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 11,380 students)

UTC vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UTC or JMU?

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is 4% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($8,232.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.2% higher at JMU than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($25,128.00 vs. $16,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than JMU ($13,801 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 25.2% lower than costs at James Madison University ($10,052 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than James Madison University (93% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 120.7% larger than aid received James Madison University ($9,834 vs. $4,456)

UTC vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 47 points higher than at UTC (1087)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UTC (24)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • UTC has a higher acceptance rate (77%) than JMU (76.2%)

UTC vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UTC 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 UTC.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (81% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $19,700 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $107 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($20,792 vs. $20,899)
  • UTC graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($214 vs. $216)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 56%)

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