University at Albany- SUNY vs. Cairn

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

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
Location Albany, NY Langhorne, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,880 1,056
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #703
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $31,881
Tuition (Out of State) $25,660 $31,881
Room & Board $16,182 $12,234
Avg Net Price $19,165 $27,603
Avg Grant Aid $9,747 $17,852
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 83%

Admission

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,740 505
Admitted 21,477 422
Acceptance Rate 69.9% 83.6%
Enrolled % 13.2% 61.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 23/27
SAT Range 1120/1320 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

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
Graduation Rate 64% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $217 $279

Diversity

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
% Men 11% 9%
% Women 17% 10%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 72%
% Black 16% 14%
% Hispanic 15% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
% In-State 93% 60%
% Out-of-State 4% 36%

Campus

University at Albany- SUNY Cairn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Albany is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (16,880 students vs. 1,056 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 350.9% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($31,881.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.2% higher at Cairn than SUNY at Albany ($31,881.00 vs. $25,660.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than Cairn ($19,165 vs. $27,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 32.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($12,234 vs. $16,182)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Cairn University (93% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 83.2% larger than aid received SUNY at Albany ($17,852 vs. $9,747)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Albany (1091) is 115 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming University at Albany- SUNY students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than University at Albany- SUNY (69.9%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY 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 University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at University at Albany- SUNY is higher than Cairn University (64% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $18,800 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $37,000)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $5,935 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($21,065 vs. $27,000)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($217 vs. $279)
  • More University at Albany- SUNY graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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