BLC vs. Cairn

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

 BLC Cairn
Location Mankato, MN Langhorne, PA
Setting Remote Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 830 1,031
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC Cairn
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $31,255
Room & Board $8,270 $11,764
Avg Net Price $18,525 $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 BLC Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 468
Admitted 389 379
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 81%
Enrolled % 45.2% 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 990/1290
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 Jul 1, 2024

Academics

 BLC Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

 BLC Cairn
Graduation Rate 53% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $279

Diversity

 BLC Cairn
% Men 48% 47%
% Women 52% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 72%
% Black 3% 14%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 BLC Cairn
% In-State 59% 60%
% Out-of-State 23% 36%

Campus

 BLC 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

  • Cairn University is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (1,031 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 10.3% more expensive to attend than BLC for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.3% higher at Cairn than Bethany Lutheran College ($31,255.00 vs. $28,330.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethany Lutheran College than Cairn ($18,525 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethany Lutheran College are 42.2% lower than costs at Cairn University ($8,270 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than Cairn University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 12.7% larger than aid received Cairn University ($20,705 vs. $18,376)

BLC vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 98 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming BLC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC 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 BLC.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than Bethany Lutheran College (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Bethany Lutheran College earn on average $300 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $37,000)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • BLC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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