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Is James Madison University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for James Madison, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Workable
James Madison lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $19,500 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $75,482, but the margin is not huge. For context, James Madison's net price sits about 100% above the typical 4-year, public school and near the top of its sector range. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$26,317
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis significantly impacts your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $13,163 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $53,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data is workable, but not so strong that it erases financing risk.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$23,550
Median earnings 10 years out
$75,482
Median debt at graduation
$19,500
Graduation rate
80%
At James Madison, a typical graduate carries about $19,500 in student debt and earns roughly $75,482 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $222 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $42,439 more than the typical working high school graduate in Virginia ($33,043) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
89% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in Virginia ($33,043).
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Bachelor's degree · 52 working graduates counted
$45,225
$12,182 above the benchmark
Sociology
Bachelor's degree · 38 working graduates counted
$48,774
$15,731 above the benchmark
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Bachelor's degree · 24 working graduates counted
$51,500
$18,457 above the benchmark
Music
Bachelor's degree · 59 working graduates counted
$51,882
$18,839 above the benchmark
Social Work
Bachelor's degree · 74 working graduates counted
$52,991
$19,948 above the benchmark
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 115 working graduates counted
$54,093
$21,050 above the benchmark
History
Bachelor's degree · 68 working graduates counted
$55,782
$22,739 above the benchmark
Psychology, General
Bachelor's degree · 204 working graduates counted
$56,212
$23,169 above the benchmark
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Bachelor's degree · 50 working graduates counted
$57,179
$24,136 above the benchmark
English Language and Literature, General
Bachelor's degree · 52 working graduates counted
$57,487
$24,444 above the benchmark
9 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent James Madison University and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
James Madison is a public four year school in Harrisonburg, VA. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, VA
Worth-It Score: 66/100
Median net price: $23,821
Public 4-year
Christopher Newport
Newport News, VA
Worth-It Score: 71/100
Median net price: $22,310
Public 4-year
Virginia Commonwealth
Richmond, VA
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $25,037
Public 4-year
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
Blacksburg, VA
Worth-It Score: 87/100
Median net price: $25,808
Public 4-year
Longwood
Farmville, VA
Worth-It Score: 61/100
Median net price: $20,773
Common questions about James Madison
The median net price at James Madison is $23,550 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Virginia? See the most affordable public universities in Virginia →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at James Madison in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$23,550a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →