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Mason Virginia Tech VCU UNC Chapel Hill NC State UNCW UVA CNU UNCG ECU ASU Old Dominion| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | James Madison University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UNC Charlotte | JMU | ||
| Location | Charlotte, NC | Harrisonburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,298 | 22,758 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #547 | #259 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uncc.edu | jmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UNC Charlotte | JMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $3,812 | $7,914 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $18,474 | $25,128 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,864 | $12,584 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,768 | $26,317 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,150 | $4,456 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 81% |
Admission |
UNC Charlotte | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22,699 | 35,750 | ||
| Admitted | 18,208 | 27,258 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 80.2% | 76.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24.7% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.57 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 25/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1110/1320 | 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 | Jun 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UNC Charlotte | JMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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 | 8% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 5% | ||
| 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 | 90% | 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 (30,298 students vs. 22,758 students)
UNC Charlotte vs. JMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UNC Charlotte or JMU?
- James Madison University is 107.6% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($7,914.00 vs. $3,812.00)
- Out of state tuition is 36% higher at JMU than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($25,128.00 vs. $18,474.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than JMU ($13,768 vs. $26,317)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 10.2% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($12,584 vs. $13,864)
- More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (81% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Charlotte students is 82.9% larger than aid received James Madison University ($8,150 vs. $4,456)
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 (80.2%) than JMU (76.2%)
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/