UNCG vs. JMU

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

UNCG JMU
Location Greensboro, NC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 17,978 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #671 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncg.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCG JMU
Tuition (In State) $4,422 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $19,581 $24,744
Room & Board $9,924 $12,040
Avg Net Price $10,979 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $8,257 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 33%

Admission

UNCG JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,515 30,727
Admitted 10,587 24,062
Acceptance Rate 91.9% 78.3%
Enrolled % 22.1% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/27 23/29
SAT Range 1110/1280 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 Mar 1, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

UNCG JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

UNCG JMU
Graduation Rate 53% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,737 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $235 $216

Diversity

UNCG JMU
% Men 33% 42%
% Women 67% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 76%
% Black 28% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

UNCG JMU
% In-State 92% 73%
% Out-of-State 6% 26%

Campus

UNCG JMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
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 UNCG based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 17,978 students)

UNCG vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCG or JMU?

  • James Madison University is 73.8% more expensive to attend than UNCG for in-state tuition ($7,684.00 vs. $4,422.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.4% higher at JMU than University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($24,744.00 vs. $19,581.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than JMU ($10,979 vs. $18,274)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Greensboro are 21.3% lower than costs at James Madison University ($9,924 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Greensboro than James Madison University (82% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 22.1% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Greensboro ($10,081 vs. $8,257)

UNCG vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 99 points higher than at UNCG (1035)
  • Incoming JMU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNCG (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNCG students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • UNCG has a higher acceptance rate (91.9%) than JMU (78.3%)

UNCG vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCG 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 UNCG.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than University of North Carolina at Greensboro (81% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $21,200 more per year than UNCG graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $39,100)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $1,838 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCG graduates. ($20,899 vs. $22,737)
  • JMU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than UNCG graduates. ($216 vs. $235)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCG students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 56%)

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