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Compare James Madison University vs Old Dominion University

Harrisonburg, VA · Norfolk, VA

James Madison UniversityOld Dominion University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$23,322/yr$14,638/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$11,444/yr$9,739/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$20,093$24,000
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$12,977/yr$10,114/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$16,475/yr$13,123/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$22,343/yr$16,940/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$30,147/yr$23,567/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$213/mo$254/mo
Room & board (on campus)$13,056/yr$14,878/yr
Room & board (off campus)$13,056/yr$16,368/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,298/yr$1,800/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$4,672/yr$3,560/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$31,735/yr$29,446/yr
Tuition (in-state)$14,250/yr$12,750/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$31,604/yr$33,780/yr
Students with Pell Grants17%37%
Students taking federal loans29%41%
Getting in
Students who get accepted72%90%
SAT range (middle 50%)1170–13401100–1280
SAT average12561197
ACT range (middle 50%)24–2924–29
ACT sections (middle 50%)No data reportedEnglish 22–29 · Math 20–28
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received35,75015,216
Students accepted27,25813,773
Students who enrolled4,9222,717
Accepted students who enroll18%20%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores19%81%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores3%13%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Class rankNot consideredOptional (considered if sent)
College-prep programRequiredOptional (considered if sent)
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredNot considered
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate80%46%
Freshmen who come back92%77%
Typical earnings 10 years in$69,954/yr$54,914/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$48,802–$100,257$37,373–$80,436
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)81%55%
White students graduating81%52%
Black students graduating69%42%
Hispanic students graduating74%44%
Asian students graduating82%59%
Typical earnings 6 years in$57,438/yr$46,732/yr
Earn more than a HS grad86%78%
Graduate on time66%26%
Pell students who graduate71%39%
First-gen students who finish82%48%
Low-income students who finish80%45%
Students who transfer outNo data reported25%
Typical earnings 8 years in$64,070/yr$51,738/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsHealth Professions 18% · Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Communication & Journalism 10%Health Professions 16% · Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Computer & Information Sciences 12%
Most popular programHealth Professions — 18% of degreesHealth Professions — 16% of degrees
2nd most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 15% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees
3rd most popular programCommunication & Journalism — 10% of degreesComputer & Information Sciences — 12% of degrees
4th most popular programParks, Recreation & Fitness — 7% of degreesPsychology — 8% of degrees
5th most popular programSocial Sciences — 7% of degreesSocial Sciences — 7% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $120,817/yrEngineering, Other — $112,555/yr
Degrees in STEM15%28%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment20,88817,514
Students per professor17 : 113 : 1
Graduate students1,7675,997
Average professor pay$10,916/mo$10,583/mo
Full-time professors81%96%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited bySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Median family income$92,165$38,020
SettingCity (small)City (midsize)
LocationHarrisonburg, VANorfolk, VA
RegionSoutheastSoutheast
Founded19081930
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.7%1.2%
Men44%46%
Women56%54%
White students72%41%
Black students4.7%32%
Hispanic or Latino students8.8%11%
Asian students5.3%5.4%
Two or more races5.7%7.4%
Other / not reported2.6%2.2%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students21%33%
Part-time students5.3%23%
Students age 25+2.9%25%
Spent on teaching per student$10,620/yr$12,901/yr
Endowment$155.5M$319.8M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing6,4814,790
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$6,010/yr$8,238/yr
Meal plan charge$6,494/yr$6,414/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesYes
ROTCYes — Army, Air ForceYes — Army, Navy
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planYesNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I-FCSNCAA Division I-FBS
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams1618
Student athletes492480
Athletic scholarships$10.9M$11.9M
Athletics budget$68.4M$53.2M
Athletics revenue$68.4M$53.2M
Recruiting spend$1.1M$986,841

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.