Frostburg State University vs. Cairn

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

Frostburg State University Cairn
Location Frostburg, MD Langhorne, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,075 1,056
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #701 #703
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website frostburg.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Frostburg State University Cairn
Tuition (In State) $7,110 $31,881
Tuition (Out of State) $22,292 $31,881
Room & Board $12,502 $12,234
Avg Net Price $16,521 $27,603
Avg Grant Aid $9,767 $17,852
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 83%

Admission

Frostburg State University Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,556 505
Admitted 4,075 422
Acceptance Rate 89.4% 83.6%
Enrolled % 15.1% 61.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 23/27
SAT Range 980/1200 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 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

Frostburg State University Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Frostburg State University Cairn
Graduation Rate 45% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,900 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $279

Diversity

Frostburg State University Cairn
% Men 7% 9%
% Women 11% 10%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 72%
% Black 31% 14%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Frostburg State University Cairn
% In-State 81% 60%
% Out-of-State 18% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Frostburg State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (4,075 students vs. 1,056 students)

Frostburg State University vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Frostburg State University or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 348.4% more expensive to attend than Frostburg State University for in-state tuition ($31,881.00 vs. $7,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43% higher at Cairn than Frostburg State University ($31,881.00 vs. $22,292.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Frostburg State University than Cairn ($16,521 vs. $27,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 2.2% lower than costs at Frostburg State University ($12,234 vs. $12,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Frostburg State University than Cairn University (92% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 82.8% larger than aid received Frostburg State University ($17,852 vs. $9,767)

Frostburg State University vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 21 points higher than at Frostburg State University (955)
  • Incoming Cairn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Frostburg State University (20)
  • Accepted freshman Frostburg State University students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Frostburg State University has a higher acceptance rate (89.4%) than Cairn (83.6%)

Frostburg State University vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Frostburg State University 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 Frostburg State University.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Frostburg State University (63% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Frostburg State University earn on average $8,900 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($45,900 vs. $37,000)
  • Frostburg State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Frostburg State University graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Frostburg State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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