Alma College vs. Cairn

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

Alma College Cairn
Location Alma, MI Langhorne, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,260 1,031
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alma.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alma College Cairn
Tuition (In State) $45,346 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $45,346 $31,255
Room & Board $12,624 $11,764
Avg Net Price $23,995 $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $34,736 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Alma College Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,372 468
Admitted 2,180 379
Acceptance Rate 64.7% 81%
Enrolled % 15.3% 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Alma College Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Biology (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Alma College Cairn
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Alma College Cairn
% Men 47% 47%
% Women 53% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 72%
% Black 4% 14%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Alma College Cairn
% In-State 90% 60%
% Out-of-State 6% 36%

Campus

Alma College 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

  • Alma College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (1,260 students vs. 1,031 students)

Alma College vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alma College or Cairn?

  • Alma College is 45.1% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($45,346.00 vs. $31,255.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.1% higher at Alma College than Cairn University ($45,346.00 vs. $31,255.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Alma College than Cairn ($23,995 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 7.3% lower than costs at Alma College ($11,764 vs. $12,624)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alma College than Cairn University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 89% larger than aid received Cairn University ($34,736 vs. $18,376)

Alma College vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Alma College (1110) is 134 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming Alma College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman Alma College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than Alma College (64.7%)

Alma College vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alma College 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 Alma College.

  • The graduation rate at Alma College is higher than Cairn University (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Alma College earn on average $11,300 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $37,000)
  • Cairn University and Alma College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cairn University and Alma College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

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