The real 4-year cost of James Madison University in Virginia
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at James Madison University went from $6,964 to $14,768, an average of 3.6% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $14,768Per-semester tuition plus comprehensive fee ($7,384 resident, $16,288 nonresident) doubled for annual total.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $6,964 | – | – |
| 2009 | $7,244 | – | – |
| 2010 | $7,860 | – | – |
| 2011 | $8,448 | – | – |
| 2012 | $8,808 | – | – |
| 2013 | $9,176 | – | – |
| 2014 | $9,662 | – | – |
| 2015 | $10,018 | – | – |
| 2016 | $10,390 | – | – |
| 2017 | $10,830 | – | – |
| 2018 | $11,701 | – | – |
| 2019 | $12,206 | – | – |
| 2020 | $12,330 | – | – |
| 2021 | $12,638 | – | – |
| 2022 | $13,092 | – | – |
| 2023 | $13,576 | – | – |
| 2026 | $14,768 | $14,768 | – |
| 2027 | – | $15,298 | $15,012–$15,585 |
| 2028 | – | $15,848 | $15,260–$16,447 |
| 2029 | – | $16,417 | $15,512–$17,356 |
| 2030 | – | $17,006 | $15,768–$18,316 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $14,768 |
| Year 2 | $15,298 |
| Year 3 | $15,848 |
| Year 4 | $16,417 |
| 4-year total | $62,331 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $22,331
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $44,163
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $14,944/ yr
- rising 4.3% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $63,752
School’s own published rateCategory C housing $7,656 + All Access meal plan $7,288.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at James Madison University4-year schools with similar prices in Virginia
Closest to James Madison University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- George Mason University$14,808
- Virginia Union University$14,880
- University of Mary Washington$14,559
- DeVry University-Virginia$15,032
- Longwood University$15,200
- Strayer University-Virginia$13,920
- Liberty University$15,822
- Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing$16,050
Use this data
Published figures for James Madison University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.