UofSC vs. JMU

Should I go to University of South Carolina Columbia or James Madison University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UofSC or JMU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of South Carolina Columbia vs. James Madison University comparison
University of South Carolina Columbia James Madison University College 3 College 4
University of South Carolina Columbia James Madison University
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Overview

 UofSC JMU
Location Columbia, SC Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 35,653 22,224
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #260
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu jmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UofSC JMU
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $7,684
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $24,744
Room & Board $11,780 $12,040
Avg Net Price $22,427 $18,274
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $10,081
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 33%

Admission

 UofSC JMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 30,727
Admitted 27,022 24,062
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 78.3%
Enrolled % 24.3% 20.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 23/29
SAT Range 1180/1380 1140/1320
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 1, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 UofSC JMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 UofSC JMU
Graduation Rate 70% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $60,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $20,899
Median Loan Payment $240 $216

Diversity

 UofSC JMU
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 76%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UofSC JMU
% In-State 52% 73%
% Out-of-State 47% 26%

Campus

 UofSC JMU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than JMU based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 22,224 students)

UofSC vs. JMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or JMU?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 59.9% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $7,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.5% higher at UofSC than James Madison University ($33,528.00 vs. $24,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than UofSC ($18,274 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 2.2% lower than costs at James Madison University ($11,780 vs. $12,040)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than James Madison University (98% vs. 33%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 46.5% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,081 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UofSC or JMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JMU or UofSC .

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 86 points higher than at JMU (1134)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at JMU (25)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at JMU (3.57)
  • JMU has a higher acceptance rate (78.3%) than UofSC (64.1%)

UofSC vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC or JMU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between JMU and UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at JMU is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (81% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $8,600 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $51,700)
  • James Madison University students graduate with a $2,351 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($20,899 vs. $23,250)
  • JMU graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($216 vs. $240)
  • More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/