Elizabethtown College vs. Cairn

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

Elizabethtown College Cairn
Location Elizabethtown, PA Langhorne, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,152 1,056
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #257 #703
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website etown.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elizabethtown College Cairn
Tuition (In State) $36,166 $31,881
Tuition (Out of State) $36,166 $31,881
Room & Board $12,954 $12,234
Avg Net Price $27,019 $27,603
Avg Grant Aid $22,312 $17,852
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

Elizabethtown College Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,551 505
Admitted 2,726 422
Acceptance Rate 76.8% 83.6%
Enrolled % 19.4% 61.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/29 23/27
SAT Range 1090/1280 1050/1260
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

Elizabethtown College Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Elizabethtown College Cairn
Graduation Rate 79% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Elizabethtown College Cairn
% Men 3% 9%
% Women 11% 10%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 72%
% Black 3% 14%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Elizabethtown College Cairn
% In-State 72% 60%
% Out-of-State 27% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Elizabethtown College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (2,152 students vs. 1,056 students)

Elizabethtown College vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elizabethtown College or Cairn?

  • Elizabethtown College is 13.4% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($36,166.00 vs. $31,881.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.4% higher at Elizabethtown College than Cairn University ($36,166.00 vs. $31,881.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabethtown College than Cairn ($27,019 vs. $27,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 5.9% lower than costs at Elizabethtown College ($12,234 vs. $12,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Elizabethtown College than Cairn University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elizabethtown College students is 25% larger than aid received Cairn University ($22,312 vs. $17,852)

Elizabethtown College vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elizabethtown College (1125) is 149 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming Elizabethtown College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman Elizabethtown College students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than Elizabethtown College (76.8%)

Elizabethtown College vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elizabethtown College 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 Elizabethtown College.

  • The graduation rate at Elizabethtown College is higher than Cairn University (79% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Elizabethtown College earn on average $14,800 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $37,000)
  • Cairn University and Elizabethtown College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cairn University and Elizabethtown College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Elizabethtown College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

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