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VSU Old Dominion Hampton University Bowie State University ECSU Delaware State University Fayetteville State University Morgan State Eastern University WSSU North Carolina Central University Coppin| Cairn University | Norfolk State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cairn | NSU | ||
| Location | Langhorne, PA | Norfolk, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,031 | 5,783 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1008 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cairn.edu | nsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cairn | NSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $31,255 | $5,752 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,255 | $16,920 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,764 | $10,844 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,923 | $14,652 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $18,376 | $12,164 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 91% |
Admission |
Cairn | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 468 | 8,884 | ||
| Admitted | 379 | 7,951 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 53.3% | 16.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 2.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 15/20 | |||
| SAT Range | 840/1040 | |||
| 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 31, 2025 |
Academics |
Cairn | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cairn | NSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 33% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,000 | $36,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 27% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $31,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $320 |
Diversity |
Cairn | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | Yes | ||
| % White | 72% | 5% | ||
| % Black | 14% | 84% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 3% |
Students |
Cairn | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 60% | 65% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 36% | 31% | ||
Campus |
Cairn | NSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Norfolk State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 1,031 students)
Cairn vs. NSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cairn or NSU?
- Cairn University is 443.4% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $5,752.00)
- Out of state tuition is 84.7% higher at Cairn than Norfolk State University ($31,255.00 vs. $16,920.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Cairn ($14,652 vs. $25,923)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 8.5% lower than costs at Cairn University ($10,844 vs. $11,764)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Norfolk State University (96% vs. 91%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 51.1% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($18,376 vs. $12,164)
Cairn vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cairn or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Cairn .
- The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 168 points higher than at NSU (808)
- Incoming Cairn students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at NSU (17)
- Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at NSU (2.9)
- NSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cairn (81%)
Cairn vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cairn or NSU? 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 NSU and Cairn.
- The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Norfolk State University (63% vs. 33%)
- Graduates from Cairn University earn on average $300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($37,000 vs. $36,700)
- Cairn University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,000)
- Cairn graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($279 vs. $320)
- More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 27%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/