UMBC vs. JMU

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or James Madison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC 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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University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. James Madison University comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County James Madison University College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County James Madison University
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Overview

UMBC JMU
Location Baltimore, MD Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UMBC JMU
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $24,744
Room & Board $13,378 $12,040
Avg Net Price $17,692 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 33%

Admission

UMBC JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 30,727
Admitted 9,291 24,062
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 78.3%
Enrolled % 23.1% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 23/29
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

UMBC JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

UMBC JMU
Graduation Rate 57% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $219 $216

Diversity

UMBC JMU
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 44% 76%
% Black 17% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

UMBC JMU
% In-State 90% 73%
% Out-of-State 5% 26%

Campus

UMBC 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 UMBC based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or JMU?

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is 17.9% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($9,056.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at UMBC than James Madison University ($25,820.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than JMU ($17,692 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 11.1% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($12,040 vs. $13,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than James Madison University (92% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 13.4% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($10,081 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 75 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than JMU (78.3%)

UMBC vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (81% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $800 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $59,500)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $298 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($20,899 vs. $21,197)
  • JMU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($216 vs. $219)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 67%)

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