Cairn vs. NSU

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

Cairn NSU
Location Langhorne, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,031 5,783
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cairn.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cairn NSU
Tuition (In State) $31,255 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $31,255 $16,920
Room & Board $11,764 $10,844
Avg Net Price $25,923 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $18,376 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 91%

Admission

Cairn NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 468 8,884
Admitted 379 7,951
Acceptance Rate 81% 89.5%
Enrolled % 53.3% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20
SAT Range 840/1040
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 May 31, 2024

Academics

Cairn NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Cairn NSU
Graduation Rate 63% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $320

Diversity

Cairn NSU
% Men 47% 33%
% Women 53% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 72% 5%
% Black 14% 84%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Cairn NSU
% In-State 60% 65%
% Out-of-State 36% 31%

Campus

Cairn NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 1,031 students)

Cairn vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cairn or NSU?

  • Cairn University is 443.4% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.7% higher at Cairn than Norfolk State University ($31,255.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Cairn ($14,652 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 8.5% lower than costs at Cairn University ($10,844 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Norfolk State University (96% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 51.1% larger than aid received Norfolk State University ($18,376 vs. $12,164)

Cairn vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 168 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Cairn students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than Cairn (81%)

Cairn vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cairn or NSU? 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 NSU and Cairn.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Norfolk State University (63% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Cairn University earn on average $300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($37,000 vs. $36,700)
  • Cairn University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Cairn graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($279 vs. $320)
  • More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 27%)

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