James Madison University (JMU) vs William & Mary (W&M)

When it comes to choosing the right college, James Madison University and William & Mary stand out as two exceptional options. Both universities offer a rich academic experience, vibrant campus life, and strong alumni networks. However, there are some key differences between the two institutions that prospective students should consider. JMU boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for a wider range of students. W&M, on the other hand, has a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process. In terms of popular majors, JMU excels in fields like nursing, business, and education, while W&M is known for its strengths in liberal arts, social sciences, and public policy. Additionally, the student body demographics and graduation rates vary between the two universities, creating distinct campus cultures and outcomes. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences in greater detail. Explore the table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations

	William & Mary	James Madison University
Overview
Location	Williamsburg, Virginia	Harrisonburg, Virginia
Campus setting	Suburb: Small	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	93.0%	91.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	36.5%	86.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1360 - 1520	1140 - 1310
ACT range	31 - 34	24 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	51.0%	26.0%
Students submitting ACT score	19.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	17,475	21,176
Total number of admissions given out	6,386	18,265
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,684	4,767
Yield rate	26.4%	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)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $40,624 Out of state: $63,850	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219
Average net price	$18,399	$18,528
Tuition	In state: $17,434 Out of state: $40,089	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,490 Meal plan: $5,246	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	44.0% Average amount $21,700	31.0% Average amount $9,594
Students receiving federal student loan	22.0% Average amount $5,132	33.0% Average amount $5,199
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $27,548	8.0% Average amount $18,776

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,543 Men 41.6% Women 58.4%	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
Graduate students	2,974 Men 42.7% Women 57.3%	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	35.2%	N/A
International students	6.2%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	4,755	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Virginia New Jersey Maryland Pennsylvania New York	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Legal Profession Education Social Sciences Multidisciplinary Studies	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	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	91.0%	81.8%
Dropout rate	2.1%	17.4%
Transferred out	6.3%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,208 Year 2: $71,202 Year 3: $87,886 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $64,972 Year 2: $66,087 Year 3: $81,526 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $85,399 Year 2: $82,440 Year 3: $80,518 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $73,897 Year 2: $68,499 Year 3: $80,071 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,977 Year 2: $65,610 Year 3: $69,021 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,979 Year 2: $53,108 Year 3: $57,485 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,630 Year 2: $44,117 Year 3: $51,824 Public Policy Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,566 Year 2: $39,153 Year 3: $50,454 Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,517 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $48,118 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,414 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $47,651	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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