Blackburn College vs. CU

Comparable Facts

Compare Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL with Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cumberland University is larger than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (3,457 students vs. 513 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Blackburn College is located in Carlinville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Cumberland University is in Lebanon, TN (Distant Town setting).
• Blackburn College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cumberland University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Blackburn College 11:1; Cumberland University 19:1.

Blackburn College vs. CU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or CU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Blackburn College than CU ($18,460 vs. $18,499).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 22.5% lower than at Cumberland University ($9,915 vs. $12,800).
• Blackburn College is 1.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than CU (about $309 more per year; $28,149.00 vs. $27,840.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.1% higher at Blackburn College than at Cumberland University (about $309 more per year; $28,149.00 vs. $27,840.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Blackburn College as at Cumberland University (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 27% larger than aid received by Blackburn College students ($24,703 vs. $19,456).

Blackburn College vs. CU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or CU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CU and Blackburn College.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Blackburn College 888/1125.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Blackburn College 16/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Blackburn College - Test-free; CU - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman CU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Blackburn College (3.23).
• CU has a higher acceptance rate (67.3%) than Blackburn College (63.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 25.7% at Blackburn College vs. 40.5% at CU.

Blackburn College vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Blackburn College and CU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Blackburn College's six-year graduation rate (48%) is higher than Cumberland University's (34%).
• Graduates from Blackburn College earn a median of about $500 more per year than CU graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $39,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cumberland University graduates have a $4,271 lower median loan debt than Blackburn College graduates ($21,729 vs. $26,000).
• Among borrowers, CU graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Blackburn College graduates ($224 vs. $268).
• More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 58%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.