WCU vs. JMU

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

 WCU JMU
Location Cullowhee, NC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 11,628 22,758
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #742 #259
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU JMU
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $7,914
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $25,128
Room & Board $11,764 $12,584
Avg Net Price $12,252 $26,317
Avg Grant Aid $5,442 $4,456
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 81%

Admission

 WCU JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,183 35,750
Admitted 15,758 27,258
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 76.2%
Enrolled % 13.3% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 25/29
SAT Range 1050/1260 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 Mar 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 WCU JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 WCU JMU
Graduation Rate 50% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $227 $216

Diversity

 WCU JMU
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 10% 5%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 76%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 WCU JMU
% In-State 78% 73%
% Out-of-State 19% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • James Madison University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (22,758 students vs. 11,628 students)

WCU vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or JMU?

  • James Madison University is 691.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,914.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 402.6% higher at JMU than Western Carolina University ($25,128.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than JMU ($12,252 vs. $26,317)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 7% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,764 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than James Madison University (99% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Carolina University students is 22.1% larger than aid received James Madison University ($5,442 vs. $4,456)

WCU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 102 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than JMU (76.2%)

WCU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU 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 WCU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Western Carolina University (81% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $21,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $39,100)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $1,111 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $22,010)
  • JMU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($216 vs. $227)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 58%)

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