McDaniel College vs. Cairn

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

McDaniel College Cairn
Location Westminster, MD Langhorne, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,000 1,031
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcdaniel.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

McDaniel College Cairn
Tuition (In State) $46,800 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $46,800 $31,255
Room & Board $12,302 $11,764
Avg Net Price $23,733 $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $38,848 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

McDaniel College Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,311 468
Admitted 3,537 379
Acceptance Rate 82% 81%
Enrolled % 13.2% 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

McDaniel College Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

McDaniel College Cairn
Graduation Rate 74% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

McDaniel College Cairn
% Men 34% 47%
% Women 66% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 72%
% Black 14% 14%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 0%

Students

McDaniel College Cairn
% In-State 71% 60%
% Out-of-State 27% 36%

Campus

McDaniel College 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

  • McDaniel College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (3,000 students vs. 1,031 students)

McDaniel College vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, McDaniel College or Cairn?

  • McDaniel College is 49.7% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($46,800.00 vs. $31,255.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.7% higher at McDaniel College than Cairn University ($46,800.00 vs. $31,255.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at McDaniel College than Cairn ($23,733 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 4.6% lower than costs at McDaniel College ($11,764 vs. $12,302)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McDaniel College than Cairn University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McDaniel College students is 111.4% larger than aid received Cairn University ($38,848 vs. $18,376)

McDaniel College vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McDaniel College (1074) is 98 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming McDaniel College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman McDaniel College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • McDaniel College has a higher acceptance rate (82%) than Cairn (81%)

McDaniel College vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McDaniel 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 McDaniel College.

  • The graduation rate at McDaniel College is higher than Cairn University (74% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from McDaniel College earn on average $16,400 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($53,400 vs. $37,000)
  • Cairn University and McDaniel College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cairn University and McDaniel College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More McDaniel College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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