Augustana vs. Cairn

Should I go to Augustana College or Cairn University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Augustana 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Bradley Carthage Knox College Creighton University Drake DePauw ISU St Olaf Lake Forest College DePaul Gustavus Adolphus College St. Ambrose University
Augustana College vs. Cairn University comparison
Augustana College Cairn University College 3 College 4
Augustana College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Augustana Cairn
Location Rock Island, IL Langhorne, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,484 1,056
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #315 #703
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website augustana.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Augustana Cairn
Tuition (In State) $49,674 $31,881
Tuition (Out of State) $49,674 $31,881
Room & Board $12,166 $12,234
Avg Net Price $24,695 $27,603
Avg Grant Aid $36,474 $17,852
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

Augustana Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,424 505
Admitted 5,022 422
Acceptance Rate 67.6% 83.6%
Enrolled % 14.4% 61.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 23/27
SAT Range 1010/1250 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Augustana Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Augustana Cairn
Graduation Rate 76% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,100 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Augustana Cairn
% Men 0% 9%
% Women 1% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 72%
% Black 4% 14%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Augustana Cairn
% In-State 65% 60%
% Out-of-State 17% 36%

Campus

Augustana 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

  • Augustana College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (2,484 students vs. 1,056 students)

Augustana vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Augustana or Cairn?

  • Augustana College is 55.8% more expensive to attend than Cairn for in-state tuition ($49,674.00 vs. $31,881.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.8% higher at Augustana than Cairn University ($49,674.00 vs. $31,881.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Augustana College than Cairn ($24,695 vs. $27,603)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Augustana College are 0.6% lower than costs at Cairn University ($12,166 vs. $12,234)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Augustana College than Cairn University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Augustana College students is 104.3% larger than aid received Cairn University ($36,474 vs. $17,852)

Augustana vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Augustana (3.3)
  • Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (83.6%) than Augustana (67.6%)

Augustana vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Augustana 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 Augustana.

  • The graduation rate at Augustana is higher than Cairn University (76% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Augustana College earn on average $18,100 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($55,100 vs. $37,000)
  • Cairn University and Augustana graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cairn University and Augustana graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Augustana graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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