James Madison University (JMU) vs URI-Kingston

When it comes to higher education, James Madison University (JMU) and the University of Rhode Island (URI) stand out as two distinct and compelling options. JMU, nestled in the heart of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, boasts a higher acceptance rate, a larger student body, and a wider range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like nursing, business, and education. URI, situated on the scenic shores of Narragansett Bay, offers a more selective admissions process, a smaller student population, and strengths in marine sciences, engineering, and pharmacy. Both universities provide a vibrant campus life, with active student organizations, NCAA Division I athletics, and diverse cultural opportunities. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between JMU and URI, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Dive into the details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	James Madison University	University of Rhode Island
Overview
Location	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Kingston, Rhode Island
Campus setting	City: Small	Suburb: Large
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%	85.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.3%	76.5%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1140 - 1310	1090 - 1290
ACT range	24 - 29	25 - 30
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	30.0%
Students submitting ACT score	5.0%	3.0%
Total number of applicants	21,176	25,105
Total number of admissions given out	18,265	19,196
Admitted students who chose to enroll	4,767	3,340
Yield rate	26.1%	17.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	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: $31,614 Out of state: $49,636
Average net price	$18,528	$20,496
Tuition	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800	In state: $13,250 Out of state: $31,272
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986	Room/dormitory: $8,340 Meal plan: $5,500
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	94.0% Average amount $12,949
Students receiving federal student loan	33.0% Average amount $5,199	61.0% Average amount $5,252
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $18,776	18.0% Average amount $18,913

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%	14,744 Men 43.3% Women 56.7%
Graduate students	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%	2,767 Men 37.5% Women 62.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	60.3%
International students	1.4%	2.7%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	6,513	5,523
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Rhode Island Mississippi Connecticut New York New Jersey

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Business Engineering Biological and Biomedical Sciences Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	New England Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	81.8%	70.0%
Dropout rate	17.4%	28.7%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
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	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $95,221 Year 2: $113,894 Year 3: $119,883 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $102,532 Year 2: $109,286 Year 3: $115,106 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,037 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $86,487 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,976 Year 2: $71,473 Year 3: $86,408 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,309 Year 2: $67,995 Year 3: $79,045 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,134 Year 2: $72,693 Year 3: $78,528 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,485 Year 2: $65,557 Year 3: $77,404 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $73,720 Year 3: $75,985 Ocean Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,071 Year 2: $63,600 Year 3: $73,268 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,907 Year 2: $63,880 Year 3: $72,515

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James Madison University (JMU) vs URI-Kingston

James Madison University

University of Rhode Island

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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