Hollins University vs James Madison University (JMU)

Hollins University and James Madison University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Virginia, offer distinct educational experiences. Hollins, a private liberal arts college, boasts a tight-knit community and a focus on personalized education, reflected in its low student-to-faculty ratio. In contrast, James Madison, a public research university, offers a wider range of academic programs and opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, along with a larger and more diverse student body. While Hollins has a higher acceptance rate, James Madison attracts a larger applicant pool. Both universities offer a variety of popular majors, including nursing, business, and education, but they differ in their graduation rates, with James Madison having a slightly higher rate. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these universities' unique strengths and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Hollins University	James Madison University
Overview
Location	Roanoke, Virginia	Harrisonburg, Virginia
Campus setting	Suburb: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	74.0%	91.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	74.7%	86.3%
Application fees	$40	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60
SAT range	N/A	1140 - 1310
ACT range	N/A	24 - 29
Students submitting SAT score		26.0%
Students submitting ACT score		5.0%
Total number of applicants	3,093	21,176
Total number of admissions given out	2,311	18,265
Admitted students who chose to enroll	234	4,767
Yield rate	10.1%	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	$54,640	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219
Average net price	$23,825	$18,528
Tuition	$39,360	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,900 Meal plan: $5,760	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $33,997	31.0% Average amount $9,594
Students receiving federal student loan	62.0% Average amount $5,409	33.0% Average amount $5,199
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $11,453	8.0% Average amount $18,776

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	713 Men 0.0% Women 100.0%	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
Graduate students	142 Men 28.9% Women 71.1%	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	7.7%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	667	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Education Social Sciences History	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	9:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	58.7%	81.8%
Dropout rate	41.3%	17.4%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,960 Year 3: $32,950 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $16,495 Year 2: $26,353 Year 3: $27,617 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,470 Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,862 Year 2: $26,739 Year 3: N/A Dance (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $29,840 Year 2: $45,529 Year 3: N/A	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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