UH vs. JMU

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

 UH JMU
Location Houston, TX Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 46,676 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #468 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uh.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH JMU
Tuition (In State) $8,685 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $21,165 $25,128
Room & Board $10,830 $12,584
Avg Net Price $13,738 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $11,551 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 81%

Admission

 UH JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,327 35,750
Admitted 21,087 27,258
Acceptance Rate 69.5% 76.2%
Enrolled % 26.8% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 25/29
SAT Range 1150/1330 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 May 31, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 UH JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 UH JMU
Graduation Rate 46% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,000 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $204 $216

Diversity

 UH JMU
% Men 9% 2%
% Women 10% 5%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 26% 76%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 32% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UH JMU
% In-State 93% 73%
% Out-of-State 3% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (46,676 students vs. 22,758 students)

UH vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH or JMU?

  • University of Houston is 9.7% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($8,685.00 vs. $7,914.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.7% higher at JMU than University of Houston ($25,128.00 vs. $21,165.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston than JMU ($13,738 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 16.2% lower than costs at James Madison University ($10,830 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than University of Houston (81% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston students is 159.2% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,551 vs. $4,456)

UH vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Houston (1154) is 20 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming UH students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at UH (3.46)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than UH (69.5%)

UH vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH 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 UH.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than University of Houston (81% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $1,300 more per year than UH graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $59,000)
  • University of Houston students graduate with a $1,149 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($19,750 vs. $20,899)
  • UH graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($204 vs. $216)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 61%)

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