Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Cairn

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Lehigh Valley in Center Valley, PA with Cairn University Langhorne in Langhorne, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cairn University Langhorne is larger than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (1,097 students vs. 867 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Lehigh Valley is located in Center Valley, PA (Large Suburban setting); Cairn University Langhorne is in Langhorne, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Cairn University Langhorne is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1; Cairn University Langhorne 11:1.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Lehigh Valley or Cairn? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Cairn ($19,066 vs. $23,273).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University Langhorne are 16.5% lower than at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($12,753 vs. $15,274).
• Cairn University Langhorne is 123.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $18,801 more per year; $34,009.00 vs. $15,208.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 33.9% higher at Cairn than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $8,617 more per year; $34,009.00 vs. $25,392.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than at Cairn University Langhorne (80% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University Langhorne students is 136.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students ($21,416 vs. $9,065).

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Cairn Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Lehigh Valley or Cairn? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cairn and Penn State Lehigh Valley.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1230) is 150 points higher than at Cairn (1080).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320; Cairn University Langhorne 1000/1160.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional; Cairn - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Cairn (3.31).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Cairn (88.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. 45.2% at Cairn.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Lehigh Valley and Cairn? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Cairn University Langhorne's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn a median of about $18,300 more per year than Cairn graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Cairn graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cairn graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.