Clark University vs James Madison University (JMU)

Clark University and James Madison University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Clark, a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 48%. JMU, a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is more accessible, with an acceptance rate of 73%. While Clark's student body is smaller and more diverse, JMU's larger student population provides a vibrant and diverse campus community. Both universities excel in different academic areas; Clark is known for its strength in the social sciences and humanities, while JMU is renowned for its programs in business, education, and health professions. With impressive graduation rates of 86% and 80% respectively, both Clark and JMU prepare their graduates for successful careers. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these two exceptional universities and make an informed decision about your academic journey.

	Clark University	James Madison University
Overview
Location	Worcester, Massachusetts	Harrisonburg, Virginia
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	87.0%	91.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	48.0%	86.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $100	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1218 - 1403	1140 - 1310
ACT range	27 - 30	24 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	17.0%	26.0%
Students submitting ACT score	5.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	8,151	21,176
Total number of admissions given out	3,915	18,265
Admitted students who chose to enroll	505	4,767
Yield rate	12.9%	26.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$62,302	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219
Average net price	$31,565	$18,528
Tuition	$49,950	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,000 Meal plan: $4,150	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	95.0% Average amount $27,608	31.0% Average amount $9,594
Students receiving federal student loan	60.0% Average amount $5,282	33.0% Average amount $5,199
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $16,271	8.0% Average amount $18,776

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,302 Men 42.1% Women 57.9%	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
Graduate students	1,048 Men 49.3% Women 50.7%	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	23.0%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	1,633	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Mississippi New York Connecticut Maine New Jersey	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Mathematics and Statistics Social Sciences Public Administration and Social Service Computer and Information Science	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	79.0%	81.8%
Dropout rate	6.8%	17.4%
Transferred out	14.1%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $69,601 Year 2: $64,328 Year 3: $76,941 Geography and Cartography (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,259 Year 2: $52,733 Year 3: $68,708 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,937 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $58,038 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,649 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $50,210 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,148 Year 2: $44,418 Year 3: $49,665 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,833 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $49,591 Community Organization and Advocacy (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $32,656 Year 2: $39,639 Year 3: $47,508 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,412 Year 2: $34,526 Year 3: $46,715 Communication and Media Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,423 Year 3: $46,559 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,568 Year 3: $46,250	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $106,893 Year 2: $116,083 Year 3: $116,887 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $103,590 Year 2: $91,744 Year 3: $105,768 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,457 Year 2: $72,659 Year 3: $85,951 Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,020 Year 2: $72,290 Year 3: $82,877 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,544 Year 2: $67,380 Year 3: $80,406 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,052 Year 2: $66,377 Year 3: $77,982 Systems Science and Theory (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,389 Year 2: $60,623 Year 3: $75,407 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,331 Year 2: $49,270 Year 3: $69,797 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,114 Year 2: $57,943 Year 3: $69,218 International Business (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,708 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $68,304

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