Cairn vs. Wilkes

Should I go to Cairn University or Wilkes University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cairn or Wilkes 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. Wilkes University comparison
Cairn University Wilkes University College 3 College 4
Wilkes University
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Overview

Cairn Wilkes
Location Langhorne, PA Wilkes-Barre, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 1,056 5,198
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #703 #416
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cairn.edu wilkes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cairn Wilkes
Tuition (In State) $31,881 $40,308
Tuition (Out of State) $31,881 $40,308
Room & Board $12,234 $16,006
Avg Net Price $27,603 $28,508
Avg Grant Aid $17,852 $28,507
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 100%

Admission

Cairn Wilkes
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 505 6,414
Admitted 422 5,866
Acceptance Rate 83.6% 91.5%
Enrolled % 61.6% 8.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/27 20/29
SAT Range 1050/1260 1023/1270
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

Academics

Cairn Wilkes
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Cairn Wilkes
Graduation Rate 63% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Cairn Wilkes
% Men 9% 13%
% Women 10% 49%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 73%
% Black 14% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Cairn Wilkes
% In-State 60% 75%
% Out-of-State 36% 20%

Campus

Cairn Wilkes
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

  • Wilkes University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (5,198 students vs. 1,056 students)

Cairn vs. Wilkes Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cairn or Wilkes?

  • Wilkes University is 26.4% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($40,308.00 vs. $31,881.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.4% higher at Wilkes than Cairn University ($40,308.00 vs. $31,881.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cairn University than Wilkes ($27,603 vs. $28,508)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 30.8% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($12,234 vs. $16,006)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wilkes University than Cairn University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 59.7% larger than aid received Cairn University ($28,507 vs. $17,852)

Cairn vs. Wilkes Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wilkes University (1053) is 77 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Accepted freshman Wilkes students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Cairn (83.6%)

Cairn vs. Wilkes Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Wilkes University (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $21,200 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $37,000)
  • Wilkes University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wilkes graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Wilkes graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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