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Pratt Institute RISD VCU Eastern University SCAD Liberty University Hollins College The New School Drexel Messiah College School of the Art Institute of Chicago Laguna College of Art and Design| Maryland Institute College of Art | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
MICA | Cairn | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,861 | 1,056 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #325 | #703 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | mica.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
MICA | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $53,160 | $31,881 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $53,160 | $31,881 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,924 | $12,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $43,066 | $27,603 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $28,435 | $17,852 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 83% |
Admission |
MICA | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,127 | 505 | ||
| Admitted | 2,417 | 422 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 77.3% | 83.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 11.5% | 61.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.47 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 26/30 | 23/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 915/1220 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
MICA | Cairn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
MICA | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 71% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,300 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 72% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $279 |
Diversity |
MICA | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 48% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 2% | ||
| % International | 15% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
MICA | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 26% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 51% | 36% | ||
Campus |
MICA | 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
- Maryland Institute College of Art is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (1,861 students vs. 1,056 students)
MICA vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, MICA or Cairn?
- Maryland Institute College of Art is 66.7% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($53,160.00 vs. $31,881.00)
- Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at MICA than Cairn University ($53,160.00 vs. $31,881.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cairn University than MICA ($27,603 vs. $43,066)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 62.9% lower than costs at Maryland Institute College of Art ($12,234 vs. $19,924)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Maryland Institute College of Art than Cairn University (100% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Maryland Institute College of Art students is 59.3% larger than aid received Cairn University ($28,435 vs. $17,852)
MICA vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, MICA or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or MICA .
- The average SAT score at Maryland Institute College of Art (1140) is 164 points higher than at Cairn (976)
- Accepted freshman MICA students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at Cairn (3.31)
- Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than MICA (77.3%)
MICA vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, MICA 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 MICA.
- The graduation rate at MICA is higher than Cairn University (71% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Maryland Institute College of Art earn on average $3,300 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $37,000)
- Cairn University and MICA graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
- Cairn University and MICA graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
- More MICA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/