by our College Data Analytics TeamHere’s the full picture on paying for James Madison University, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
Use the section links below to navigate this overview:
The full cost of attending James Madison University ranged from $30,213.00 ranging to $47,567.00 depending on residency and living arrangement.
In-state residents qualified for the lower cost, with out-of-state students paying more: about $30,213.00 in-state versus $47,567.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $14,250.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,963.00 |
| Total cost | $30,213.00 |
| That is 57% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $30,213.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$8,413.00 |
| Net price | $21,800.00 |
| That is 13% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $30,213.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$20,291.00 |
| Net price | $9,922.00 |
| That is 48% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $31,604.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,963.00 |
| Total cost | $47,567.00 |
| That is 147% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $47,567.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$8,413.00 |
| Net price | $39,154.00 |
| That is 103% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $47,567.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$20,291.00 |
| Net price | $27,276.00 |
| That is 42% above the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on the tuition & fees page and room and board. |
Cost of attendance here has been rising at a recent average of 2.2% per year, so the four-year total runs well above today’s cost. Below, the cost is projected across a degree for three students at once — low-income with aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan math assumes ten-year repayment at 6.8% interest.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $10,145.00 | $22,290.00 | $30,893.00 |
| Senior year | $10,845.00 | $23,829.00 | $33,025.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $41,971.00 | $92,216.00 | $127,803.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $15,989.00 | $35,131.00 | $48,688.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $483.00 | $1,061.00 | $1,471.00 |
| Total amount paid | $57,960.00 | $127,346.00 | $176,491.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $10,145.00 | $22,290.00 | $30,893.00 |
| Senior year | $10,373.00 | $22,792.00 | $31,588.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $20,519.00 | $45,082.00 | $62,480.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,817.00 | $17,175.00 | $23,803.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $236.00 | $519.00 | $719.00 |
| Total amount paid | $28,335.00 | $62,257.00 | $86,283.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $27,890.00 | $40,035.00 | $48,637.00 |
| Senior year | $29,814.00 | $42,798.00 | $51,994.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $115,379.00 | $165,624.00 | $201,212.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $43,955.00 | $63,097.00 | $76,654.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,328.00 | $1,906.00 | $2,316.00 |
| Total amount paid | $159,335.00 | $228,721.00 | $277,866.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Freshman year | $27,890.00 | $40,035.00 | $48,637.00 |
| Senior year | $28,517.00 | $40,935.00 | $49,731.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $56,407.00 | $80,970.00 | $98,368.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $21,489.00 | $30,847.00 | $37,475.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $649.00 | $932.00 | $1,132.00 |
| Total amount paid | $77,895.00 | $111,817.00 | $135,843.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the Net Price section.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most prospective students, net price gives a more realistic estimate than sticker tuition.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $23,322.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $21,816.00 |
Net price is not the same for every family — it falls as financial need rises and grant aid increases. The table below shows the average net price by family-income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,582.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $12,172.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $17,150.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,171.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $28,869.00 |
Estimate your specific net price using the school’s James Madison University Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the grants & scholarships detail.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of James Madison University comes to $17,272.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden category.
The full distribution of debt at graduation looks like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,338.00 |
| 25th | $7,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $17,272.00 |
| 75th | $26,000.00 |
| 90th | $29,680.00 |
The gap between 10th and 90th percentile borrowers gives a sense of how uneven debt outcomes are.
Explore borrowing, repayment, and default in detail on the student loan debt detail.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. The table below divides borrowers into three income tiers:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,500.00 |
| Middle income | $16,161.00 |
| High income | $17,963.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $17,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $17,000.00 |
First-generation graduates of James Madison University graduate with $500.00 in additional median debt versus continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. Looking at Pell recipients versus non-recipients tells us how debt is distributed across need.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at James Madison University works out to $424.00. Federal data flags this school for Pell-related debt inequity.
The federal default-rate classification for James Madison University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 2.0% |
For scale, federal Stafford loan disbursements at James Madison University add up to $597,841,932.00 covering 36,372 loan recipients.
Veterans and active-duty students can access dedicated federal education aid such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 482 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $11,423.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 20 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $3,087.00 |
For the full rundown of veteran and military benefits, see the college veterans page.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through James Madison University, a few questions are worth asking:
Dig further into the cost picture with the related pages below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.