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Fayetteville State University WSSU NSU North Carolina Central University University of North Carolina at Pembroke VSU Eastern University UNCG NCAT Liberty University WCU ECU| Elizabeth City State University | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
| Location | Elizabeth City, NC | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,149 | 1,031 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #964 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ecsu.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,000 | $31,255 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $5,000 | $31,255 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,727 | $11,764 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $4,120 | $25,923 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,877 | $18,376 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 92% | 96% |
Admission |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,927 | 468 | ||
| Admitted | 2,912 | 379 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.2% | 81% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 53.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.16 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 16/22 | |||
| SAT Range | 850/1070 | |||
| 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 | Jun 30, 2025 |
Academics |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 44% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $30,700 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 23% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,125 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $270 | $279 |
Diversity |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 14% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 74% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 0% |
Students |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 65% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 32% | 36% | ||
Campus |
ECSU | Cairn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Elizabeth City State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (2,149 students vs. 1,031 students)
ECSU vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, ECSU or Cairn?
- Cairn University is 3,025.5% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $1,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 525.1% higher at Cairn than Elizabeth City State University ($31,255.00 vs. $5,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than Cairn ($4,120 vs. $25,923)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabeth City State University are 34.8% lower than costs at Cairn University ($8,727 vs. $11,764)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Elizabeth City State University (96% vs. 92%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 107% larger than aid received Elizabeth City State University ($18,376 vs. $8,877)
ECSU vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, ECSU or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or ECSU .
- The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 132 points higher than at ECSU (844)
- Incoming Cairn students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at ECSU (18)
- Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at ECSU (3.16)
- Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than ECSU (74.2%)
ECSU vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, ECSU or Cairn? 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 Cairn and ECSU.
- The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Elizabeth City State University (63% vs. 44%)
- Graduates from Cairn University earn on average $6,300 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($37,000 vs. $30,700)
- Elizabeth City State University students graduate with a $875 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($26,125 vs. $27,000)
- ECSU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($270 vs. $279)
- More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 23%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/