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Maryland George Washington UMBC Spelman Penn State NCAT Hampton University Mason TU VCU UNC Chapel Hill Rutgers| Howard University | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Howard | Cairn | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 13,416 | 1,056 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #249 | #703 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | howard.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Howard | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $32,878 | $31,881 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $32,878 | $31,881 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,474 | $12,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $30,028 | $27,603 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,422 | $17,852 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 83% |
Admission |
Howard | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 30,342 | 505 | ||
| Admitted | 10,587 | 422 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 34.9% | 83.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.4% | 61.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.66 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 23/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1298 | 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 |
Howard | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Howard | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,800 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 33% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
Howard | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 16% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Extremely Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | Yes | No | ||
| % White | 2% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 91% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 0% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 2% | ||
| % International | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Howard | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 1% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 91% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Howard | 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
- Howard University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (13,416 students vs. 1,056 students)
Howard vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Howard or Cairn?
- Howard University is 3.1% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($32,878.00 vs. $31,881.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.1% higher at Howard than Cairn University ($32,878.00 vs. $31,881.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cairn University than Howard ($27,603 vs. $30,028)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 34.7% lower than costs at Howard University ($12,234 vs. $16,474)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than Cairn University (100% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 20% larger than aid received Cairn University ($21,422 vs. $17,852)
Howard vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Howard or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or Howard .
- The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 129 points higher than at Cairn (976)
- Incoming Howard students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cairn (21)
- Accepted freshman Howard 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 Howard (34.9%)
Howard vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Howard 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 Howard.
- The graduation rate at Howard is the same as at Cairn University (63% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Howard University earn on average $14,800 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $37,000)
- Cairn University and Howard graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Cairn University and Howard graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 33%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/