BAC vs. JMU

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

 BAC JMU
Location Belmont, NC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,501 22,224
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #921 #260
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website belmontabbeycollege.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BAC JMU
Tuition (In State) $18,500 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $18,500 $24,744
Room & Board $11,658 $12,040
Avg Net Price $23,522 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $9,266 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

 BAC JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,757 30,727
Admitted 2,679 24,062
Acceptance Rate 97.2% 78.3%
Enrolled % 14.7% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.32 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 23/29
SAT Range 950/1140 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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 BAC JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 BAC JMU
Graduation Rate 38% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,900 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $279 $216

Diversity

 BAC JMU
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 76%
% Black 22% 4%
% Hispanic 1% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 28% 3%

Students

 BAC JMU
% In-State 37% 73%
% Out-of-State 57% 26%

Campus

 BAC 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

  • James Madison University is larger than than BAC based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 1,501 students)

BAC vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BAC or JMU?

  • Belmont Abbey College is 140.8% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($18,500.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.8% higher at JMU than Belmont Abbey College ($24,744.00 vs. $18,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than BAC ($18,274 vs. $23,522)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Belmont Abbey College are 3.3% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,658 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Belmont Abbey College than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 8.8% larger than aid received Belmont Abbey College ($10,081 vs. $9,266)

BAC vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 113 points higher than at BAC (1021)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BAC (22)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at BAC (3.32)
  • BAC has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than JMU (78.3%)

BAC vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BAC 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 BAC.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Belmont Abbey College (81% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $18,400 more per year than BAC graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $41,900)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $6,101 lower median federal student loan debt than BAC graduates. ($20,899 vs. $27,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than BAC graduates. ($216 vs. $279)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BAC students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 40%)

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