James Madison University (JMU) vs University of Central Arkansas (UCA)

Envision yourself immersed in a vibrant academic landscape, where the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth takes center stage. As you embark on your higher education journey, it's essential to find an institution that aligns with your aspirations and learning style. To aid in your decision-making process, we present a comprehensive comparison of James Madison University and University of Central Arkansas. Delve into the intricacies of each university's acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, meticulously laid out in a side-by-side table. Discover the unique strengths and characteristics that set these institutions apart, empowering you to make an informed choice that aligns with your academic goals and personal preferences.

	James Madison University	University of Central Arkansas
Overview
Location	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Conway, Arkansas
Campus setting	City: 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	91.0%	71.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.3%	92.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $45
SAT range	1140 - 1310	980 - 1160
ACT range	24 - 29	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	3.0%
Students submitting ACT score	5.0%	94.0%
Total number of applicants	21,176	6,057
Total number of admissions given out	18,265	5,595
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4,767	1,854
Yield rate	26.1%	33.1%
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	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219	In state: $25,219 Out of state: $32,089
Average net price	$18,528	$14,042
Tuition	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800	In state: $6,870 Out of state: $13,740
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986	Room/dormitory: $4,326 Meal plan: $3,570
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	92.0% Average amount $7,693
Students receiving federal student loan	33.0% Average amount $5,199	51.0% Average amount $5,106
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $18,776	5.0% Average amount $10,426

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%	8,244 Men 39.0% Women 61.0%
Graduate students	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%	1,861 Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	7.9%
International students	1.4%	3.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	6,513	3,675
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Arkansas Texas Oklahoma Tennessee Alabama

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Education Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	81.8%	49.4%
Dropout rate	17.4%	19.1%
Transferred out	N/A	29.7%
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	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $92,284 Year 2: $92,358 Year 3: $96,070 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $72,491 Year 2: $70,736 Year 3: $76,640 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,696 Year 2: $67,548 Year 3: $65,753 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,174 Year 2: $58,842 Year 3: $59,396 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,787 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $57,030 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,827 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $55,240 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,080 Year 2: $45,305 Year 3: $52,677 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,462 Year 2: $47,729 Year 3: $52,542 Library Science, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,140 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $49,838 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,755 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $49,837

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James Madison University (JMU) vs University of Central Arkansas (UCA)

James Madison University

University of Central Arkansas

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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