JMU vs. VMI

Should I go to James Madison University or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if JMU or VMI 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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James Madison University vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
James Madison University Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
James Madison University Virginia Military Institute
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Overview

JMU VMI
Location Harrisonburg, VA Lexington, VA
Setting Small City Distant Rural
Enrollment 22,224 1,512
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #260 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website jmu.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

JMU VMI
Tuition (In State) $7,684 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $24,744 $39,590
Room & Board $12,040 $10,674
Avg Net Price $18,274 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $10,081 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 33% 69%

Admission

JMU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,727 1,192
Admitted 24,062 847
Acceptance Rate 78.3% 71.1%
Enrolled % 20.2% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 22/29
SAT Range 1140/1320 1105/1300
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

JMU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

JMU VMI
Graduation Rate 81% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,300 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,899 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $216 $258

Diversity

JMU VMI
% Men 42% 87%
% Women 58% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 80%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

JMU VMI
% In-State 73% 63%
% Out-of-State 26% 35%

Campus

JMU VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 VMI based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 1,512 students)

JMU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, JMU or VMI?

  • Virginia Military Institute is 27.3% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($9,782.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60% higher at VMI than James Madison University ($39,590.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than JMU ($18,129 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 12.8% lower than costs at James Madison University ($10,674 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Military Institute than James Madison University (69% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 89.6% larger than aid received James Madison University ($19,111 vs. $10,081)

JMU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 5 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming JMU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at VMI (25)
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than VMI (71.1%)

JMU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, JMU or VMI? 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 VMI and JMU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Virginia Military Institute (81% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $1,800 more per year than JMU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $60,300)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $4,101 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($20,899 vs. $25,000)
  • JMU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($216 vs. $258)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former JMU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 83%)

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