Cost & aid
What it costs
In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $32,777 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $8.5K more than the national median. The 33% who received grants paid $18,856 on average; the other 67% paid the full sticker price of $31,974 in-state / $49,188 out-of-state.
- Full price, in-state
- $31,974 a year
- tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
- Need-based aid
- Little need-based aid above $110K
- aid thins out for families above that income
Cost by family income
Per year for a typical family of four with one child in college. Up to $110K it is the average price federal aid recipients paid (2023–24).
Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys to read the price at an income.
- Published federal figures
View as a table
| Family income | Price per year |
|---|---|
| $0–30K | $11K a year |
| $30–48K | $13K a year |
| $48–75K | $16K a year |
| $75–110K | $22K a year |
| $150K | Published data end at $110K |
| $200K | Published data end at $110K |
| $250K | Published data end at $110K |
| $300K | Published data end at $110K |
| $350K | Published data end at $110K |
| $400K and above | Published data end at $110K |
At $150K: Published data end at $110K
Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for a number.
Your own number depends on the details below, so use the college's calculator for it.
What can change this
- Savings and investments above a typical amount raise the price. The curve assumes typical assets.
$32,777
Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24
33% got grants averaging $12,114; 67% got none.
Housing and food use the college's on-campus rates, so the estimate runs high where many students live at home. “Other expenses” is the college's estimate of personal and transportation costs. Loans aren't subtracted because they're repaid.
Who pays what
Share of first-year students, 2023–24.
Sticker price by residency
| Rate | Tuition & fees | First-years | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | $13,576 | $31,974 | 72% |
| Out-of-state | $30,790 | $49,188 | 28% |
Full cost adds books, on-campus room & board, and other expenses ($18,398) to tuition and fees.
$26,834 in-state · $44,180 out-of-state before aid
Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · up 3% in-state, up 2% out-of-state from 2023–24.
Show the full next-year estimate
- Tuition, fees, food & housing$26,834
- Books and supplies$1,254
- Transportation$2,168
- Other expenses$2,316
- Total for a student living on campus$32,572
$20.1K
≈ $213/month for 10 years
1.9 yrs
of median salary to cover 4 years of net price
29% of undergrads borrow federally.
Everyone who borrowed and left, whether or not they graduated.
Three years into repayment
Where former undergraduates stand on their federal loans.
- Paid in full21%
- Paying it down35%
- Payments paused22%
- Not paying it down16%
- Behind or in default6%
- Forgiven or discharged0%
Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.
Who actually gets aid
Aid generosity
LimitedGrants cover 11% of the $36,794 full price on average across all first-years (limited), more than at 1% of colleges. Most students here pay close to the sticker price.
$4,017 in grants per first-year ÷ $36,794 full price.
Who gets grants and scholarships
Full-time first-year students (4,916), 2023–24
About 1 in 1 first-year students got no grant aid and paid the full sticker price of $31,974 in-state / $49,188 out-of-state.
Where the aid comes from
Share of first-year students receiving each; averages are per recipient.
Aid by family income
By family income: only students who received federal aid, because income is only reported for them.
Aid by family income isn't reported.
From James Madison University's Common Data Set
First-years and all full-time undergraduates, 2023–24.
| First-years | All full-time | |
|---|---|---|
| Have financial need | 43%2,080 students | – |
| Need met, on average | 35% | 41% |
| Need fully met | 86% | 72% |
| Average aid package | $12,082 | $12,450 |
| Average need-based grant | $11,313 | $9,818 |
| Average need-based loan | $3,430 | $4,215 |
| Athletic scholarships | – | 311average $28,840 |
Each college decides what a family needs, so “100% of need met” can mean different prices at different colleges. Merit awards that went toward a student's need count as need-based here.
Applying for aid
For fall 2024 entrants.
Priority date: March 1 · Aid offers: on a rolling basis
Dates for fall 2024 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.
What the college's own scholarships consider
| Academics | ✓ | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Alumni connection | ✓ | not marked |
| Art | ✓ | not marked |
| Athletics | ✓ | not marked |
| Job skills | ✓ | ✓ |
| Leadership | ✓ | ✓ |
| Music or drama | ✓ | not marked |
| Religious affiliation | not marked | ✓ |
| State or district residency | ✓ | ✓ |
A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.
International students
Need-based and merit aid offered.
Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;James Madison University Common Data Set 2023–24, 2024–25;James Madison University Common Data Set 2023–24, 2023–24;James Madison University Common Data Set 2023–24, Fall 2024 entrants;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)