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NSU Morgan State Bowie State University RU North Carolina Central University Old Dominion Delaware State University Hampton University ECSU WSSU Eastern University Temple| Cairn University | Virginia State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cairn | VSU | ||
| Location | Langhorne, PA | Petersburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,031 | 4,648 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #980 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cairn.edu | vsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cairn | VSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $31,255 | $5,540 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,255 | $16,542 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,764 | $11,544 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,923 | $15,773 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $18,376 | $11,498 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 92% |
Admission |
Cairn | VSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 468 | 8,230 | ||
| Admitted | 379 | 7,384 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81% | 89.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 53.3% | 18.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 2.85 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 14/17 | |||
| SAT Range | 830/1030 | |||
| 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 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Cairn | VSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cairn | VSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 40% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,000 | $36,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 28% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $29,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $305 |
Diversity |
Cairn | VSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 40% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 60% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | Yes | ||
| % White | 72% | 3% | ||
| % Black | 14% | 87% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 2% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 0% | ||
| % International | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 7% |
Students |
Cairn | VSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 60% | 72% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 36% | 27% | ||
Campus |
Cairn | VSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Virginia State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 1,031 students)
Cairn vs. VSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cairn or VSU?
- Cairn University is 464.2% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $5,540.00)
- Out of state tuition is 88.9% higher at Cairn than Virginia State University ($31,255.00 vs. $16,542.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than Cairn ($15,773 vs. $25,923)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia State University are 1.9% lower than costs at Cairn University ($11,544 vs. $11,764)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Virginia State University (96% vs. 92%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 59.8% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($18,376 vs. $11,498)
Cairn vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cairn or VSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VSU or Cairn .
- The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 119 points higher than at VSU (857)
- Incoming Cairn students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at VSU (18)
- Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at VSU (2.85)
- VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than Cairn (81%)
Cairn vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cairn or VSU? 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 VSU and Cairn.
- The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Virginia State University (63% vs. 40%)
- Graduates from Cairn University earn on average $300 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($37,000 vs. $36,700)
- Cairn University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $29,500)
- Cairn graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($279 vs. $305)
- More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 28%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/