James Madison University

www.jmu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$7,460

2.9% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$18,528

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.804%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

86.3%

21,176 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

22,166

89.5% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

81.8%

3,598 Graduates

About

James Madison University is a higher education institution located in Harrisonburg city, VA. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at James Madison University were Community Health Services (504 degrees awarded), Speech Communication & Rhetoric (433 degrees), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (263 degrees).

In 2021, 5,803 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at James Madison University. 62.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 37.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,367 degrees), 11.3 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (386 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at James Madison University is $7,460, which is $−15,724 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

Photo by Taber Andrew Bain

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at James Madison University is $7,460, which is $−15,724 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,528.

In 2021, 36% of undergraduate students attending James Madison University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 33% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$7,460

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at James Madison University was $7,460. The cost of tuition at James Madison University is $−15,724 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

This chart compares the tuition costs of James Madison University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$18,528

2021 Value

0.344%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 James Madison University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,528. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of James Madison University grew by 0.344%.

This chart compares the average net price of James Madison University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,348

Room and Board

$1,082

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at James Madison University was of $11,348 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.75% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,082. The cost of books and supplies increased by 2.46% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at James Madison University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

36%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

33%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

36% of undergraduate students at James Madison University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 2.86% with respect to 2020, when 35% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at James Madison University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.804%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at James Madison University was 0.804%, which represents 26 out of the 3234 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

James Madison University received 21,176 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 11.5% annual growth. Out of those 21,176 applicants, 18,265 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 86.3% acceptance rate.

There were 22,166 students enrolled at James Madison University in 2021. 26% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

James Madison University has an overall enrollment yield of 26.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

86.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

18,265

Accepted Out of 21,176

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of James Madison University was 86.3% (18,265 admissions from 21,176 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 80.5%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 11.5%, while admissions declined by −5.14%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of James Madison University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

26%

Submission Percentage (2021)

1,231

Scores Submitted (2021)

26% of enrolled first-time students at James Madison University in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

James Madison University had a total enrollment of 22,166 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at James Madison University is 19,838 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,328. This means that 89.5% of students enrolled at James Madison University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at James Madison University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 75% White, 6.99% Hispanic or Latino, 4.9% Black or African American, 4.79% Asian, 4.77% Two or More Races, 0.126% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.113% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at James Madison University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (44%), followed by White Male (31.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.34%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (53.8%), followed by White Male (18.1%) and Black or African American Female (4.04%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

89.5%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at James Madison University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 22,166 students. The full-time enrollment at James Madison University is 19,838 and the part-time enrollment is 2,328. This means that 89.5% of students enrolled at James Madison University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.3% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at James Madison University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

91%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at James Madison University was 91%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), James Madison University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at James Madison University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
16,623 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,549 enrolled students
Black or African American
1,087 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at James Madison University is 75% White, 6.99% Hispanic or Latino, 4.9% Black or African American, 4.79% Asian, 4.77% Two or More Races, 0.126% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.113% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 52% White, 16.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.8% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 425 students (1.92%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,425 more women than men received degrees from James Madison University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at James Madison University is white (4,367 degrees awarded). There were 11.3 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (386 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at James Madison University is Community Health Services (504 degrees awarded), followed by Speech Communication & Rhetoric (433 degrees) and Liberal Arts & Sciences (263 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at James Madison University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (326 degrees awarded), Communications (446 degrees), and History (73 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at James Madison University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (501,699 people), Other managers (411,168 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (349,114 people), Postsecondary teachers (221,672 people), and Chief executives & legislators (184,022 people).

The most specialized majors at James Madison University in 2021 are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (326 degrees awarded), Communications (446 degrees), History (73 degrees), English (113 degrees), and Social Sciences (416 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at James Madison University are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at James Madison University are Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (326 degrees awarded), Communications (446 degrees), History (73 degrees), English (113 degrees), and Social Sciences (416 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at James Madison University are Elementary & secondary schools (791,014 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (542,604 people), Legal services (409,180 people), Computer Systems Design (308,279 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (272,743 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by James Madison University.

Most Common (2021)

Community Health Services
504 degrees awarded
Speech Communication & Rhetoric
433 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
263 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at James Madison University was Community Health Services with 504 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at James Madison University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

2,189

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

3,614

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 2,189 degrees were awarded to men at James Madison University, which is 0.606 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,614).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at James Madison University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 140 degrees were awarded to men at James Madison University in Speech Communication & Rhetoric, which is 0.458 times less than the 306 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 417 degrees were awarded to men at James Madison University in Community Health Services, which is 4.79 times more than the 87 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

69%

100% Completion Time

84%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 69% of students graduating from James Madison University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 84% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 85% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (88.3%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at James Madison University is Female and Asian (88.3% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 3.92% of graduates (141 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
4,367 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
386 degrees awarded
Black or African American
291 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at James Madison University is white (4,367 degrees awarded). There were 11.3 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (386 degrees).

2.74% of degree recipients (159 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
2,755 degrees awarded
White Male
1,612 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
239 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at James Madison University is white female (2,755 degrees awarded). There were 1.71 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1612 degrees).

Operations

James Madison University has an endowment valued at nearly $155M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 1.97M (1.28%) compared to the 13.1% average return (6.61M on 50.4M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2021, James Madison University had a total salary expenditure of 558M. James Madison University employs 385 Professors, 281 Associate professors and 223 Assistant professors. Most academics at James Madison University are Male Professor (222), Female Professor (163), and Female Associate professor (146).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at James Madison University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 378 employees, Service, with 361 employees, and Management with 354 employees.

Endowment

$155M

2021 Endowment

32.6%

growth from 2020

James Madison University has an endowment valued at about $155M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of James Madison University grew 32.6% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $104M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at James Madison University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$211M

2021 Salaries

3.19%

decline from 2020

In 2021, James Madison University paid a median of $211M in salaries, which represents 37.8% of their overall expenditure ($558M) and a 3.19% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 35.1M (41.3% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$94M

Instructional Salaries

1,051

Number of Employees

In 2021, James Madison University paid a total of $94M to 1,051 employees working as instructors, which represents 44.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.3%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

385 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

378 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at James Madison University were Professor with 385 employees, Associate professor with 281 employees, and Assistant professor with 223 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at James Madison University were Office and Administrative Support with 378 employees, Service with 361 employees, and Management with 354 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at James Madison University was Male Professor with 222 employees, Female Professor with 163 employees, and Female Associate professor with 146 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at James Madison University.