UNC Charlotte vs. JMU

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

UNC Charlotte JMU
Location Charlotte, NC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 29,551 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #562 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncc.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNC Charlotte JMU
Tuition (In State) $3,812 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $17,936 $24,744
Room & Board $12,896 $12,040
Avg Net Price $13,951 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $7,907 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 33%

Admission

UNC Charlotte JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,355 30,727
Admitted 17,007 24,062
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 78.3%
Enrolled % 24.4% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 23/29
SAT Range 1070/1290 1140/1320
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 Jun 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UNC Charlotte JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

UNC Charlotte JMU
Graduation Rate 53% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $237 $216

Diversity

UNC Charlotte JMU
% Men 49% 42%
% Women 51% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 76%
% Black 17% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

UNC Charlotte JMU
% In-State 89% 73%
% Out-of-State 8% 26%

Campus

UNC Charlotte 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

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 22,224 students)

UNC Charlotte vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Charlotte or JMU?

  • James Madison University is 101.6% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($7,684.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38% higher at JMU than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($24,744.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than JMU ($13,951 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 7.1% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($12,040 vs. $12,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than James Madison University (60% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 27.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($10,081 vs. $7,907)

UNC Charlotte vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 41 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have at the same average high school GPA (3.57) as students at JMU (3.57)
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than JMU (78.3%)

UNC Charlotte vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNC Charlotte 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 UNC Charlotte.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (81% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $11,700 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $48,600)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $2,101 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($20,899 vs. $23,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($216 vs. $237)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte 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/