CAU vs. Eastern

Should I go to Clark Atlanta University or Eastern Kentucky University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CAU or Eastern 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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Clark Atlanta University vs. Eastern Kentucky University comparison
Clark Atlanta University Eastern Kentucky University College 3 College 4
Clark Atlanta University Eastern Kentucky University
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Overview

 CAU Eastern
Location Atlanta, GA Richmond, KY
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,000 14,324
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #854
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu eku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CAU Eastern
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $9,544
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $19,922
Room & Board $10,982 $10,360
Avg Net Price $30,015 $10,806
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $10,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 98%

Admission

 CAU Eastern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 15,821
Admitted 9,088 10,174
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 64.3%
Enrolled % 12.7% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 16/20 17/24
SAT Range 880/1120 940/1185
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 Apr 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 CAU Eastern
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 CAU Eastern
Graduation Rate 41% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $23,695
Median Loan Payment $320 $245

Diversity

 CAU Eastern
% Men 24% 39%
% Women 76% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 85%
% Black 84% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 13% 1%

Students

 CAU Eastern
% In-State 27% 91%
% Out-of-State 72% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than CAU based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 4,000 students)

CAU vs. Eastern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Eastern?

  • Clark Atlanta University is 130% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($21,948.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.2% higher at CAU than Eastern Kentucky University ($21,948.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than CAU ($10,806 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 6% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($10,360 vs. $10,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than Clark Atlanta University (98% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 12.2% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($10,583 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Eastern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 178 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Eastern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Eastern has a higher acceptance rate (64.3%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Eastern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU or Eastern? 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 Eastern and CAU.

  • The graduation rate at CAU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (41% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Clark Atlanta University earn on average $500 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $7,305 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($23,695 vs. $31,000)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($245 vs. $320)
  • More Eastern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 30%)

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