James Madison University (JMU) vs University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)

When it comes to choosing the right university, it's essential to compare institutions to find the best fit. James Madison University (JMU) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) are two distinct universities with unique offerings. JMU, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, boasts a higher acceptance rate (73%) compared to UNCW's 63% in Wilmington, North Carolina. JMU is known for its strong programs in business, nursing, and education, while UNCW excels in marine biology, nursing, and business. JMU's student body is slightly larger, with over 21,000 undergraduates, while UNCW has a more intimate community of around 12,000 undergraduates. Both universities offer a vibrant campus life, with diverse student organizations, NCAA Division I athletics, and a variety of cultural events. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between JMU and

	James Madison University	University of North Carolina Wilmington
Overview
Location	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Wilmington, North Carolina
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%	83.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.3%	68.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $80 Graduate: $75
SAT range	1140 - 1310	1210 - 1330
ACT range	24 - 29	24 - 28
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	8.0%
Students submitting ACT score	5.0%	19.0%
Total number of applicants	21,176	15,792
Total number of admissions given out	18,265	10,736
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4,767	2,435
Yield rate	26.1%	22.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	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: $25,855 Out of state: $39,920
Average net price	$18,528	$18,792
Tuition	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800	In state: $4,443 Out of state: $18,508
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986	Room/dormitory: $6,926 Meal plan: $4,420
Available payment plans	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan	Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	31.0% Average amount $9,594	53.0% Average amount $6,253
Students receiving federal student loan	33.0% Average amount $5,199	47.0% Average amount $5,258
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $18,776	9.0% Average amount $15,490

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%	14,488 Men 35.0% Women 65.0%
Graduate students	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%	3,542 Men 28.2% Women 71.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	17.4%
International students	1.4%	2.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	6,513	5,562
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	North Carolina Maryland Pennsylvania Virginia New Jersey

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Public Administration and Social Service
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%	71.8%
Dropout rate	17.4%	6.5%
Transferred out	N/A	20.7%
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: $86,377 Year 2: $92,124 Year 3: $103,988 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $63,601 Year 2: $65,486 Year 3: $79,923 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $68,987 Year 2: $71,015 Year 3: $73,712 Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,073 Year 2: $60,957 Year 3: $73,607 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,368 Year 2: $64,493 Year 3: $72,729 Chemistry (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,551 Year 2: $55,108 Year 3: $65,524 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,331 Year 2: $59,253 Year 3: $63,301 Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,853 Year 2: $46,478 Year 3: $58,788 Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $55,512 Year 3: $55,086 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,700 Year 2: $43,201 Year 3: $54,656

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James Madison University (JMU) vs University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)

James Madison University

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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