NKU vs. JMU

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

NKU JMU
Location Highland Heights, KY Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 15,801 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #805 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nku.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NKU JMU
Tuition (In State) $10,208 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $20,464 $24,744
Room & Board $11,248 $12,040
Avg Net Price $7,259 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $11,275 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 33%

Admission

NKU JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,905 30,727
Admitted 5,939 24,062
Acceptance Rate 86% 78.3%
Enrolled % 27.6% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 23/29
SAT Range 1030/1290 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 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

NKU JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

NKU JMU
Graduation Rate 37% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,950 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $257 $216

Diversity

NKU JMU
% Men 36% 42%
% Women 64% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 76%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

NKU JMU
% In-State 66% 73%
% Out-of-State 26% 26%

Campus

NKU 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

  • James Madison University is larger than than NKU based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 15,801 students)

NKU vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NKU or JMU?

  • Northern Kentucky University is 32.8% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($10,208.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.9% higher at JMU than Northern Kentucky University ($24,744.00 vs. $20,464.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than JMU ($7,259 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 7% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,248 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than James Madison University (100% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 11.8% larger than aid received James Madison University ($11,275 vs. $10,081)

NKU vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 66 points higher than at NKU (1068)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at NKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at NKU (3.42)
  • NKU has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than JMU (78.3%)

NKU vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NKU 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 NKU.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Northern Kentucky University (81% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $20,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $39,700)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $4,051 lower median federal student loan debt than NKU graduates. ($20,899 vs. $24,950)
  • JMU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than NKU graduates. ($216 vs. $257)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 53%)

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