Cairn vs. CNU

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

Cairn CNU
Location Langhorne, PA Newport News, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,031 4,559
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cairn.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cairn CNU
Tuition (In State) $31,255 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $31,255 $22,613
Room & Board $11,764 $11,990
Avg Net Price $25,923 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $18,376 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 66%

Admission

Cairn CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 468 7,428
Admitted 379 6,340
Acceptance Rate 81% 85.4%
Enrolled % 53.3% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29
SAT Range 1100/1290
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

Cairn CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

Cairn CNU
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Cairn CNU
% Men 47% 46%
% Women 53% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 74%
% Black 14% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Cairn CNU
% In-State 60% 91%
% Out-of-State 36% 6%

Campus

Cairn CNU
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

  • Christopher Newport University is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (4,559 students vs. 1,031 students)

Cairn vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cairn or CNU?

  • Cairn University is 233.4% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $9,375.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.2% higher at Cairn than Christopher Newport University ($31,255.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Christopher Newport University than Cairn ($23,287 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 1.9% lower than costs at Christopher Newport University ($11,764 vs. $11,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Christopher Newport University (96% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 129.1% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($18,376 vs. $8,022)

Cairn vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 179 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than Cairn (81%)

Cairn vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is the same as at Christopher Newport University (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $10,100 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $37,000)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • CNU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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