Cairn vs. RIC

Should I go to Cairn University or Rhode Island College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cairn or RIC 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.

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Cairn University vs. Rhode Island College comparison
Cairn University Rhode Island College College 3 College 4
Rhode Island College
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Overview

Cairn RIC
Location Langhorne, PA Providence, RI
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,031 5,787
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #720
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cairn.edu ric.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cairn RIC
Tuition (In State) $31,255 $9,481
Tuition (Out of State) $31,255 $25,014
Room & Board $11,764 $13,414
Avg Net Price $25,923 $11,014
Avg Grant Aid $18,376 $7,537
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 62%

Admission

Cairn RIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 468 3,921
Admitted 379 3,432
Acceptance Rate 81% 87.5%
Enrolled % 53.3% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 870/1110
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 Mar 15, 2025

Academics

Cairn RIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Cairn RIC
Graduation Rate 63% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,200
Median Loan Payment $279 $219

Diversity

Cairn RIC
% Men 47% 29%
% Women 53% 71%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 62%
% Black 14% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Cairn RIC
% In-State 60% 80%
% Out-of-State 36% 20%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rhode Island College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (5,787 students vs. 1,031 students)

Cairn vs. RIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cairn or RIC?

  • Cairn University is 229.7% more expensive to attend than RIC for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $9,481.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25% higher at Cairn than Rhode Island College ($31,255.00 vs. $25,014.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rhode Island College than Cairn ($11,014 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 14% lower than costs at Rhode Island College ($11,764 vs. $13,414)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Rhode Island College (96% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 143.8% larger than aid received Rhode Island College ($18,376 vs. $7,537)

Cairn vs. RIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 63 points higher than at RIC (913)
  • Incoming Cairn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at RIC (19)
  • Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at RIC (3.08)
  • RIC has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than Cairn (81%)

Cairn vs. RIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cairn or RIC? 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 RIC and Cairn.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Rhode Island College (63% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Rhode Island College earn on average $5,000 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $37,000)
  • Rhode Island College students graduate with a $5,800 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($21,200 vs. $27,000)
  • RIC graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($219 vs. $279)
  • More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RIC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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