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Harrisonburg, VA · Blacksburg, VA
| James Madison University | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $23,322/yr | $24,953/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $11,444/yr | $11,689/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $20,093 | $21,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $12,977/yr | $11,670/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $16,475/yr | $17,894/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $22,343/yr | $25,835/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $30,147/yr | $34,201/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $213/mo | $228/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $13,056/yr | $16,550/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $13,056/yr | $12,578/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,298/yr | $2,678/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,672/yr | $4,494/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $31,735/yr | $36,951/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $14,250/yr | $15,948/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $31,604/yr | $37,764/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 17% | 15% |
| Students taking federal loans | 29% | 34% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 72% | 55% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1170–1340 | 1280–1450 |
| SAT average | 1256 | 1364 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 24–29 | 28–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | No data reported | English 26–34 · Math 26–32 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 35,750 | 47,208 |
| Students accepted | 27,258 | 26,923 |
| Students who enrolled | 4,922 | 7,196 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 18% | 27% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 19% | 43% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 3% | 7% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 80% | 86% |
| Freshmen who come back | 92% | 93% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $69,954/yr | $81,698/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $48,802–$100,257 | $53,415–$113,356 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 81% | 87% |
| White students graduating | 81% | 88% |
| Black students graduating | 69% | 76% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 74% | 83% |
| Asian students graduating | 82% | 91% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $57,438/yr | $67,377/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 86% | 87% |
| Graduate on time | 66% | 69% |
| Pell students who graduate | 71% | 79% |
| First-gen students who finish | 82% | 79% |
| Low-income students who finish | 80% | 78% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $64,070/yr | $75,717/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 18% · Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Communication & Journalism 10% | Business, Management & Marketing 24% · Engineering 20% · Social Sciences 8% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 18% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 24% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees | Engineering — 20% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 10% of degrees | Social Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 7% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Social Sciences — 7% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $120,817/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $119,423/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 15% | 38% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 20,888 | 30,923 |
| Students per professor | 17 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,767 | 7,822 |
| Average professor pay | $10,916/mo | $14,162/mo |
| Full-time professors | 81% | 99% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $92,165 | $89,378 |
| Setting | City (small) | City (small) |
| Location | Harrisonburg, VA | Blacksburg, VA |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1908 | 1872 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.7% | 4.6% |
| Men | 44% | 57% |
| Women | 56% | 43% |
| White students | 72% | 57% |
| Black students | 4.7% | 5.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 8.8% | 9.8% |
| Asian students | 5.3% | 14% |
| Two or more races | 5.7% | 5.8% |
| Other / not reported | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 21% | 18% |
| Part-time students | 5.3% | 2.6% |
| Students age 25+ | 2.9% | 1.6% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,620/yr | $15,632/yr |
| Endowment | $155.5M | $1.9B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 6,481 | 10,213 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,010/yr | $6,520/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $6,494/yr | $5,998/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | Yes |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | No |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | No |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | Yes | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 16 | 18 |
| Student athletes | 492 | 618 |
| Athletic scholarships | $10.9M | $20.9M |
| Athletics budget | $68.4M | $149.0M |
| Athletics revenue | $68.4M | $151.6M |
| Recruiting spend | $1.1M | $3.4M |
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.