Fitchburg State vs. Cairn

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

Fitchburg State Cairn
Location Fitchburg, MA Langhorne, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,296 1,056
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #624 #703
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fitchburgstate.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fitchburg State Cairn
Tuition (In State) $970 $31,881
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $31,881
Room & Board $14,225 $12,234
Avg Net Price $15,820 $27,603
Avg Grant Aid $8,717 $17,852
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 83%

Admission

Fitchburg State Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,353 505
Admitted 3,915 422
Acceptance Rate 89.9% 83.6%
Enrolled % 15.6% 61.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 23/27
SAT Range 1030/1220 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

Fitchburg State Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Fitchburg State Cairn
Graduation Rate 47% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,685 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $279

Diversity

Fitchburg State Cairn
% Men 16% 9%
% Women 34% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 72%
% Black 9% 14%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Fitchburg State Cairn
% In-State 87% 60%
% Out-of-State 12% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fitchburg State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (6,296 students vs. 1,056 students)

Fitchburg State vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fitchburg State or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 3,186.7% more expensive to attend than Fitchburg State for in-state tuition ($31,881.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 352.2% higher at Cairn than Fitchburg State University ($31,881.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fitchburg State University than Cairn ($15,820 vs. $27,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 16.3% lower than costs at Fitchburg State University ($12,234 vs. $14,225)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fitchburg State University than Cairn University (84% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 104.8% larger than aid received Fitchburg State University ($17,852 vs. $8,717)

Fitchburg State vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Fitchburg State University (993) is 17 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming Fitchburg State students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Fitchburg State (3.29)
  • Fitchburg State has a higher acceptance rate (89.9%) than Cairn (83.6%)

Fitchburg State vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fitchburg State 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 Fitchburg State.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Fitchburg State University (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Fitchburg State University earn on average $7,000 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($44,000 vs. $37,000)
  • Fitchburg State University students graduate with a $4,315 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($22,685 vs. $27,000)
  • Fitchburg State graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($234 vs. $279)
  • More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fitchburg State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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