Bowie State University vs. Cairn

Should I go to Bowie State University or Cairn University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bowie State University or Cairn is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Bowie State University vs. Cairn University comparison
Bowie State University Cairn University College 3 College 4
Bowie State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Bowie State University Cairn
Location Bowie, MD Langhorne, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,275 1,031
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #962
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowiestate.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowie State University Cairn
Tuition (In State) $5,811 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $16,533 $31,255
Room & Board $12,468 $11,764
Avg Net Price $13,886 $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $9,463 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 96%

Admission

Bowie State University Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,445 468
Admitted 4,712 379
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 81%
Enrolled % 25.2% 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 800/1048
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 15, 2025

Academics

Bowie State University Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communications Technology (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Bowie State University Cairn
Graduation Rate 41% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,500 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 29% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,391 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $252 $279

Diversity

Bowie State University Cairn
% Men 37% 47%
% Women 63% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 72%
% Black 86% 14%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Bowie State University Cairn
% In-State 78% 60%
% Out-of-State 19% 36%

Campus

Bowie State University Cairn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowie State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (6,275 students vs. 1,031 students)

Bowie State University vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bowie State University or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 437.9% more expensive to attend than Bowie State University for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $5,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 89% higher at Cairn than Bowie State University ($31,255.00 vs. $16,533.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowie State University than Cairn ($13,886 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 6% lower than costs at Bowie State University ($11,764 vs. $12,468)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Bowie State University (96% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 94.2% larger than aid received Bowie State University ($18,376 vs. $9,463)

Bowie State University vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bowie State University or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or Bowie State University .

  • The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 93 points higher than at Bowie State University (883)
  • Incoming Cairn students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bowie State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Bowie State University (3.12)
  • Bowie State University has a higher acceptance rate (86.5%) than Cairn (81%)

Bowie State University vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowie State University or Cairn? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cairn and Bowie State University.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Bowie State University (63% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Bowie State University earn on average $13,500 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($50,500 vs. $37,000)
  • Bowie State University students graduate with a $2,609 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($24,391 vs. $27,000)
  • Bowie State University graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($252 vs. $279)
  • More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bowie State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 29%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/