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Mason ASU Virginia Tech VCU UNC Charlotte UVA CNU UNC Chapel Hill ECU Old Dominion Mary Washington College William & Mary| University of North Carolina at Wilmington | James Madison University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UNCW | JMU | ||
| Location | Wilmington, NC | Harrisonburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 17,987 | 22,758 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #390 | #259 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uncw.edu | jmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UNCW | JMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,443 | $7,914 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,111 | $25,128 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,605 | $12,584 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,606 | $26,317 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,516 | $4,456 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 81% |
Admission |
UNCW | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,370 | 35,750 | ||
| Admitted | 12,856 | 27,258 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74% | 76.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.56 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 24/28 | 25/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1360 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
UNCW | JMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UNCW | JMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 67% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $44,700 | $60,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,500 | $20,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $211 | $216 |
Diversity |
UNCW | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 14% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 78% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 3% |
Students |
UNCW | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 22% | 26% | ||
Campus |
UNCW | 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
- James Madison University is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 17,987 students)
UNCW vs. JMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UNCW or JMU?
- James Madison University is 78.1% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($7,914.00 vs. $4,443.00)
- Out of state tuition is 24.9% higher at JMU than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($25,128.00 vs. $20,111.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than JMU ($18,606 vs. $26,317)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 0.2% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($12,584 vs. $12,605)
- More students receive financial grant aid at James Madison University than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (81% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Wilmington students is 46.2% larger than aid received James Madison University ($6,516 vs. $4,456)
UNCW vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UNCW or JMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JMU or UNCW .
- The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 28 points higher than at JMU (1134)
- Incoming UNCW students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at JMU (25)
- Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at UNCW (3.56)
- JMU has a higher acceptance rate (76.2%) than UNCW (74%)
UNCW vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UNCW 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 UNCW.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (81% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $15,600 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $44,700)
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $399 lower median federal student loan debt than JMU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $20,899)
- UNCW graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than JMU graduates. ($211 vs. $216)
- More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/