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A
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    B+
  2. Value
    A+
  3. Diversity
    B+
  4. Campus
    A+
  5. Athletics
    A
  6. Party Scene
    A
  7. Professors
    B
  8. Location
    B
  9. Dorms
    A-
  10. Campus Food
    A+
  11. Student Life
    A
  12. Safety
    B-
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James Madison University is ...
Public
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FCS
Athletic Conference
Colonial Athletic Association
Address
800 South Main Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Website
jmu.edu

James Madison University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
72%
Application Deadline
January 15
SAT Range
1030-1220
ACT Range
22-27
Application Fee
$70
SAT/ACT
Neither required nor recommended
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
Yes
Improve Your SAT/ACT Scores with Test Prep

Cost

Net Price
$16,252/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $12,872/ year
  • $30-48k
    $14,148/ year
  • $49-75k
    $17,369/ year
  • $76-110k
    $22,359/ year
  • $110k+
    $24,152/ year
Student Loan Options from Lenders
Learn More
  • 1% Cash Back + affordable rates starting at 3.82% APR w/auto debit discount
  • No application, origination or disbursement fees

Academics

Professors
B
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
16:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
83%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.152 responses
42%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.166 responses
60%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.166 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Community Health Services and Counseling
    445 Graduates
  • Communications
    390 Graduates
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities
    370 Graduates
  • Nursing
    231 Graduates
  • Psychology
    228 Graduates
  • Biology
    189 Graduates
  • Finance
    173 Graduates
  • Marketing
    162 Graduates
  • Sport and Fitness Management
    134 Graduates
  • Accounting
    133 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
18,554Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
2%
Pell Grant
14%
Varsity Athletes
3%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 108 responses
Report
  • Friendly
    44%
  • Partier
    15%
  • Awesome.
    14%
  • Polite
    10%
  • Real
    7%
  • Chill
    6%
  • Driven
    3%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
—
Poll
57%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.220 responses
Poll
48%
of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.252 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 108 responses
Report
  • Friendliest place on Earth
    28%
  • Energetic
    16%
  • Happiest place on Earth
    14%
  • HUGE FAMILY
    13%
  • Pride
    13%
  • Party-town
    8%
  • The Disneyland of Colleges
    6%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$53,800/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
82%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
96%
National
83%
92%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.110 responses
Colleges like James Madison University
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James Madison University Reviews

2,723 reviews
All Categories
It was a huge university and had a lot of awesome people. The professors, staff and faculty all seemed really nice. I enjoyed my electives a lot! The education and psychology departments are phenomenal. However, I recommend everyone stay away from the physics and chemistry department. A lot of the professors have a language barrier or teach above your head intentionally. The class averages do suffer, but there's a huge curve at the end, which means you learn nothing but pass. There is a lot to do around campus, but the area is a ghost town when students leave for break. The people of the town are racist, so this not a people of color friendly location. The minority population is usually segregated (own parties, fraternities, and extra-curriculars) from the rest of the community. It is a beautiful campus and I would recommend the school overall but had to put in a disclaimer.
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I love the campus and all the students! There's a wide variety of students here that guarantees ease in finding friends in classes and other places on campus. There's also so much to do every week! JMU offers so many organizations and clubs to join as well as fun activities for the whole campus to join in on. The reason I didn't give JMU 5 stars is because there are some small difficulties that arise for me throughout the school year. For example, it is very difficult to register for classes and get all the classes you need to satisfy graduation requirements, especially as a freshman. Also, because JMU is a smaller campus with a growing student population, there are always very long lines for food, for example, because they cannot cater to every single student. These are just a few examples of small problems I face on campus, but overall, I love JMU!
Move over Disney World, JMU is the place to be! The easiest decision I have ever made was sending in my deposit to the best place on earth. The people are kind, the food is great, the professors care and the memories are sure to last a lifetime. The summer before freshman year, I was so nervous to move in, but within hours after being settled in, it was easy to call this place home! JMU dedicates the week before classes begin to the freshman class. With activities to help to get to know people to how to survive showering in college, you will feel extremely prepared for the first day of classes. GO DUKES!