James Madison University (JMU) vs Elon University

When it comes to choosing the right university, it's essential to consider factors like acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. James Madison University (JMU) and Elon University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct experiences for prospective students. JMU boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option, while Elon's smaller student body fosters a close-knit community. Both universities excel in different academic areas, with JMU excelling in nursing and health professions, and Elon excelling in business and communications. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Elon University	James Madison University
Overview
Location	Elon, North Carolina	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	88.0%	91.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	77.7%	86.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60	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	17,834	21,176
Total number of admissions given out	13,859	18,265
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,591	4,767
Yield rate	11.5%	26.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$55,647	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219
Average net price	$40,366	$18,528
Tuition	$38,218	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,593 Meal plan: $6,829	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)	67.0% Average amount $13,677	31.0% Average amount $9,594
Students receiving federal student loan	30.0% Average amount $5,259	33.0% Average amount $5,199
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $25,192	8.0% Average amount $18,776

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,302 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
Graduate students	825 Men 36.5% Women 63.5%	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	80.6%	N/A
International students	2.0%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	4,192	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	North Carolina New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Legal Profession Health Professions Communication and Journalism Education	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	83.3%	81.8%
Dropout rate	16.7%	17.4%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,556 Year 2: $104,061 Year 3: $105,320 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,803 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $78,720 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,320 Year 2: $60,016 Year 3: $77,567 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,276 Year 2: $54,192 Year 3: $77,220 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,564 Year 2: $62,154 Year 3: $76,604 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $68,888 Year 2: $69,629 Year 3: $70,208 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,091 Year 2: $50,022 Year 3: $64,255 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,189 Year 3: $59,817 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,293 Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: $58,053 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,055 Year 3: $55,617	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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