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Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State Clemson Syracuse Drexel| Penn State Main Campus | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
| Location | University Park, PA | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 50,399 | 1,056 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #171 | #703 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $19,672 | $31,881 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $39,626 | $31,881 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,030 | $12,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,450 | $27,603 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,577 | $17,852 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 36% | 83% |
Admission |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 85,956 | 505 | ||
| Admitted | 46,605 | 422 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 54.2% | 83.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.4% | 61.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 27/32 | 23/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1400 | 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 |
Academics |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $279 |
Diversity |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 8% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 8% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 69% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 11% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 0% |
Students |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 51% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 36% | ||
Campus |
Penn State | Cairn | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 1,056 students)
Penn State vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Cairn?
- Cairn University is 62.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($31,881.00 vs. $19,672.00)
- Out of state tuition is 24.3% higher at Penn State than Cairn University ($39,626.00 vs. $31,881.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Cairn ($27,450 vs. $27,603)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 6.5% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,234 vs. $13,030)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Penn State Main Campus (83% vs. 36%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 54.2% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($17,852 vs. $11,577)
Penn State vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or Penn State .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 226 points higher than at Cairn (976)
- Incoming Penn State students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Cairn (21)
- Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than Penn State (54.2%)
Penn State vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State 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 Penn State.
- The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than Cairn University (87% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $18,300 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $37,000)
- Penn State Main Campus students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
- Penn State graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
- More Penn State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/