WSU vs. JMU

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

 WSU JMU
Location Detroit, MI Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 23,630 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSU JMU
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $24,744
Room & Board $11,321 $12,040
Avg Net Price $15,347 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 33%

Admission

 WSU JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 30,727
Admitted 10,547 24,062
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 78.3%
Enrolled % 24.4% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 23/29
SAT Range 1040/1260 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 Aug 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 WSU JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 WSU JMU
Graduation Rate 26% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $230 $216

Diversity

 WSU JMU
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 76%
% Black 19% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

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

Campus

 WSU 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

  • Wayne State University is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 22,224 students)

WSU vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or JMU?

  • Wayne State University is 68.3% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.7% higher at WSU than James Madison University ($29,622.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than JMU ($15,347 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 6.4% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,321 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than James Madison University (96% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 5.2% larger than aid received James Madison University ($10,605 vs. $10,081)

WSU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 64 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than WSU (75.3%)

WSU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSU 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 WSU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Wayne State University (81% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $9,300 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $51,000)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $1,359 lower median federal student loan debt than WSU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $22,258)
  • JMU graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than WSU graduates. ($216 vs. $230)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 38%)

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