Babson College vs James Madison University (JMU)

Babson College and James Madison University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Babson, a private business school in Wellesley, Massachusetts, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 25.6%. Its focus on entrepreneurship and business management attracts students seeking a rigorous education in these fields. In contrast, James Madison University, a public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, offers a broader range of academic programs, including business, nursing, and education. With an acceptance rate of 67.4%, it welcomes a diverse student body from various backgrounds. While both universities offer excellent educational opportunities, their unique characteristics cater to different aspirations and preferences. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal aspirations.

	Babson College	James Madison University
Overview
Location	Wellesley, Massachusetts	Harrisonburg, Virginia
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	94.0%	91.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	25.4%	86.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $75 Graduate: $100	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1330 - 1480	1140 - 1310
ACT range	30 - 33	24 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	34.0%	26.0%
Students submitting ACT score	14.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	7,104	21,176
Total number of admissions given out	1,801	18,265
Admitted students who chose to enroll	650	4,767
Yield rate	36.1%	26.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$76,360	In state: $29,293 Out of state: $46,219
Average net price	$29,105	$18,528
Tuition	$54,944	In state: $7,460 Out of state: $23,800
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $11,910 Meal plan: $6,324	Room/dormitory: $5,564 Meal plan: $5,986
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	50.0% Average amount $42,890	31.0% Average amount $9,594
Students receiving federal student loan	30.0% Average amount $3,892	33.0% Average amount $5,199
Students taking out private loans	8.0% Average amount $24,863	8.0% Average amount $18,776

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,576 Men 56.9% Women 43.1%	20,070 Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
Graduate students	1,108 Men 58.1% Women 41.9%	2,096 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	30.8%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	1,988	6,513
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Mathematics and Statistics	Health Professions Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	93.7%	81.8%
Dropout rate	6.1%	17.4%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $114,003 Year 2: $103,078 Year 3: $118,620 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,039 Year 2: $61,600 Year 3: $76,406 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,923 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: N/A	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $106,893 Year 2: $116,083 Year 3: $116,887 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $103,590 Year 2: $91,744 Year 3: $105,768 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,457 Year 2: $72,659 Year 3: $85,951 Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,020 Year 2: $72,290 Year 3: $82,877 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,544 Year 2: $67,380 Year 3: $80,406 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,052 Year 2: $66,377 Year 3: $77,982 Systems Science and Theory (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,389 Year 2: $60,623 Year 3: $75,407 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,331 Year 2: $49,270 Year 3: $69,797 Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,114 Year 2: $57,943 Year 3: $69,218 International Business (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,708 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $68,304

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