Tennessee vs. JMU

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

 Tennessee JMU
Location Knoxville, TN Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 36,304 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tennessee.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Tennessee JMU
Tuition (In State) $11,332 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $29,522 $25,128
Room & Board $12,500 $12,584
Avg Net Price $20,885 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $11,491 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 81%

Admission

 Tennessee JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,488 35,750
Admitted 23,221 27,258
Acceptance Rate 46% 76.2%
Enrolled % 28.8% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/31 25/29
SAT Range 1190/1340 1170/1320
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Tennessee JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Tennessee JMU
Graduation Rate 63% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,300 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $206 $216

Diversity

 Tennessee JMU
% Men 9% 2%
% Women 11% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 76%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

 Tennessee JMU
% In-State 58% 73%
% Out-of-State 41% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (36,304 students vs. 22,758 students)

Tennessee vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Tennessee or JMU?

  • The University of Tennessee is 43.2% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.5% higher at Tennessee than James Madison University ($29,522.00 vs. $25,128.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee than JMU ($20,885 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee are 0.7% lower than costs at James Madison University ($12,500 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee than James Madison University (85% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 157.9% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,491 vs. $4,456)

Tennessee vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 80 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than Tennessee (46%)

Tennessee vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Tennessee 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 Tennessee.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than The University of Tennessee (81% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $4,000 more per year than Tennessee graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $56,300)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $899 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $20,899)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($206 vs. $216)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee 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/