Meredith vs. CNU

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

Meredith CNU
Location Raleigh, NC Newport News, VA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,587 4,559
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #396 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website meredith.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Meredith CNU
Tuition (In State) $42,420 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $42,420 $22,613
Room & Board $12,544 $11,990
Avg Net Price $23,259 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $29,825 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

Meredith CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,775 7,428
Admitted 1,299 6,340
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 85.4%
Enrolled % 25.6% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 22/29
SAT Range 1140/1320 1100/1290
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, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Meredith CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

Meredith CNU
Graduation Rate 59% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

Meredith CNU
% Men 2% 46%
% Women 98% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 74%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

Meredith CNU
% In-State 80% 91%
% Out-of-State 13% 6%

Campus

Meredith CNU
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

  • Christopher Newport University is larger than than Meredith based on total student enrollment (4,559 students vs. 1,587 students)

Meredith vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Meredith or CNU?

  • Meredith College is 352.5% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($42,420.00 vs. $9,375.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 87.6% higher at Meredith than Christopher Newport University ($42,420.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Meredith College than CNU ($23,259 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 4.6% lower than costs at Meredith College ($11,990 vs. $12,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Meredith College than Christopher Newport University (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Meredith College students is 271.8% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($29,825 vs. $8,022)

Meredith vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 119 points higher than at Meredith (1036)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Meredith (23)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Meredith (3.52)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Meredith (73.2%)

Meredith vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Meredith or CNU? 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 CNU and Meredith.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than Meredith College (63% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $7,100 more per year than Meredith graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $40,000)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Meredith graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • CNU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Meredith graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Meredith students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 65%)

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