James Madison University

James Madison University Overview

James Madison University is a public, state school in the small town setting of Harrisonburg, Virginia. JMU was founded in 1908 and the school enrolls around 22,166 students a year, which includes 20,070 undergrad students. JMU offers housing for students. Most students live in off campus housing.

📆 Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2023 is January 15.

Student Activities at JMU

Interested in music or performing? At JMU you can join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? JMU students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? JMU has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? JMU has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at JMU on the Student Life page.

Is JMU a Good School?

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a look at these areas to get a clearer idea of what JMU offers and if the school might be the right college for you.

JMU Acceptance Rate 2022

It is very difficult to get into JMU. Around 77% of applicants get into JMU each year. Out of 13,976 applications received in 2022, 18,265 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at JMU

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. Retention measures how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at JMU, around 91% are still enrolled their sophomore year. Around 82% of students who started at JMU earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outcomes for JMU Grads

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school.

Check with JMU directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Tuition and Financial Aid at JMU

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

JMU meets 37% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend JMU full-time are awarded $11,737 a year in financial aid, on average.

Graduates in the class of 2022 had an average of $30,542 in student loans per borrower. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at JMU.

Based on this information, is JMU the school for you? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is JMU a good school for you?

If James Madison University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Exploring Schools?

Choose one of the options below to learn more about JMU:

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JMU Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting accepted at some of the schools in the U.S.

Where is JMU?

JMU is located in the small town setting of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

If you are interested in seeing JMU for yourself, be sure to plan a visit! The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 81 to Harrisonburg, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Shenandoah Valley Regional.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what JMU and Harrisonburg are like without leaving home.

Considering Colleges in Virginia?

See a full list of colleges in Virginia and save your favorites to your college list.