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Rutgers NJIT Rowan University UD Rider University Seton Hall University Penn State Monmouth University Montclair State University Stevens Stockton Ramapo College of New Jersey| The College of New Jersey | Cairn University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
| Location | Ewing, NJ | Langhorne, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 7,652 | 1,056 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #164 | #703 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | tcnj.edu | cairn.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,706 | $31,881 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,589 | $31,881 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,569 | $12,234 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,379 | $27,603 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $13,824 | $17,852 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 83% |
Admission |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 11,668 | 505 | ||
| Admitted | 7,251 | 422 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 62.1% | 83.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21.3% | 61.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.29 | 3.31 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/31 | 23/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1140/1340 | 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 |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $62,100 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,250 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $240 | $279 |
Diversity |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 66% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 14% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 0% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
TCNJ | Cairn | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 36% | ||
Campus |
TCNJ | 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
- The College of New Jersey is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (7,652 students vs. 1,056 students)
TCNJ vs. Cairn Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, TCNJ or Cairn?
- Cairn University is 116.8% more expensive to attend than TCNJ for in-state tuition ($31,881.00 vs. $14,706.00)
- Out of state tuition is 54.8% higher at Cairn than The College of New Jersey ($31,881.00 vs. $20,589.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The College of New Jersey than Cairn ($22,379 vs. $27,603)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 27.3% lower than costs at The College of New Jersey ($12,234 vs. $15,569)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than The College of New Jersey (83% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 29.1% larger than aid received The College of New Jersey ($17,852 vs. $13,824)
TCNJ vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, TCNJ or Cairn? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cairn or TCNJ .
- The average SAT score at The College of New Jersey (1227) is 251 points higher than at Cairn (976)
- Incoming TCNJ students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Cairn (21)
- Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at TCNJ (3.29)
- Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than TCNJ (62.1%)
TCNJ vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, TCNJ 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 TCNJ.
- The graduation rate at TCNJ is higher than Cairn University (87% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from The College of New Jersey earn on average $25,100 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $37,000)
- The College of New Jersey students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
- TCNJ graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
- More TCNJ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/