James Madison University

James Madison University is a public, state school located in the small town setting of Harrisonburg, VA

Founded in 1908, JMU currently enrolls around 21,594 students a year, including 19,727 undergrads. The institution runs on a semester academic calendar.

2021 Admissions Facts About JMU

Acceptance rate: 80%

Early Decision or Early Action: No/Yes

2022 Regular Decision Deadline: January 15

2022 Regular Decision Notification Date: March 15

JMU Acceptance Rate 2021

It is very difficult to get into James Madison University. JMU accepts around 80 percent of applicants each year.

In 2021, 2,800 applicants were waitlisted and 1,117 students were ultimating offered a spot off the waitlist.

Is JMU a good school?

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how competitive a school is, but they don't say much about the quality of the education or the student experience. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Retention and graduation rates

About 89 percent of students who start at JMU come back the next year. Out of the 4,358 students who started at JMU as first-time freshman, 2,942 graduate within four years.

JMU's six-year graduation for undergrads is 82 percent. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61 percent for public schools, and 67 percent for private, non-profit schools.

Job outcomes and student debt

Job placement and student debt statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers. The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2021 was around $30,524 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

Based on this information, how does JMU sound? Remember, the best school for one person may be a terrible fit for another! So the real question to ask yourself: is JMU a good school for YOU?

Interested in applying to James Madison University?

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January 15 is the final deadline to submit an application for next Fall. All applicants will receive an admissions decision by March 15.

Read on to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics and majors and more. Or, visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about JMU and get personalized recommendations for colleges and universities that offer what you're looking for in a school.