James Madison University (JMU) vs Old Dominion University (ODU)

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 Old Dominion University (ODU) are two distinct institutions with unique offerings. JMU boasts a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process, while ODU offers a more open admissions policy. JMU's student body is predominantly White, while ODU's is more diverse. Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with JMU excelling in fields like nursing, business, and education, and ODU specializing in engineering, computer science, and health professions. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these universities and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	James Madison University	Old Dominion University
Overview
Location	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Norfolk, Virginia
Campus setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
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	91.0%	72.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.3%	96.2%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $50
SAT range	1140 - 1310	1020 - 1220
ACT range	24 - 29	20 - 27
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	83.0%
Students submitting ACT score	5.0%	11.0%
Total number of applicants	21,176	13,586
Total number of admissions given out	18,265	13,074
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4,767	2,899
Yield rate	26.1%	22.2%
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	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219	In state: $28,088 Out of state: $48,248
Average net price	$18,528	$17,254
Tuition	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800	In state: $7,029 Out of state: $26,664
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986	Room/dormitory: $7,690 Meal plan: $5,398
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	31.0% Average amount $9,594	91.0% Average amount $7,702
Students receiving federal student loan	33.0% Average amount $5,199	57.0% Average amount $5,222
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $18,776	7.0% Average amount $15,206

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%	18,678 Men 43.9% Women 56.1%
Graduate students	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%	4,816 Men 39.4% Women 60.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	10.2%
International students	1.4%	2.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	6,513	4,361
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Virginia Maryland Pennsylvania North Carolina New Jersey

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Education Engineering Computer and Information Science Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	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	81.8%	48.7%
Dropout rate	17.4%	19.7%
Transferred out	N/A	28.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Engineering, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,047 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $104,107 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $105,948 Year 2: $95,295 Year 3: $103,379 Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $79,161 Year 2: $78,719 Year 3: $83,937 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,137 Year 2: $72,231 Year 3: $83,852 Education, Other (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $74,043 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $77,597 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,315 Year 2: $58,673 Year 3: $75,302 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,709 Year 2: $66,126 Year 3: $74,887 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,357 Year 2: $71,114 Year 3: $74,858 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,112 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $73,924 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,804 Year 2: $62,654 Year 3: $72,559

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James Madison University (JMU) vs Old Dominion University (ODU)

James Madison University

Old Dominion University

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