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Virginia Tech JMU Annapolis Washington and Lee Citadel Military College of South Carolina Mason Eastern University VCU William & Mary Liberty University Old Dominion UVA| Cairn University | Virginia Military Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cairn | VMI | ||
| Location | Langhorne, PA | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 1,031 | 1,512 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #150 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cairn.edu | vmi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cairn | VMI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $31,255 | $9,782 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $31,255 | $39,590 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,764 | $10,674 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $25,923 | $18,129 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $18,376 | $19,111 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 69% |
Admission |
Cairn | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 468 | 1,192 | ||
| Admitted | 379 | 847 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 81% | 71.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 53.3% | 42.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | |||
| SAT Range | 1105/1300 | |||
| 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 | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Cairn | VMI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,000 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $258 |
Diversity |
Cairn | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 87% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 72% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 14% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Cairn | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 60% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 36% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Cairn | VMI | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Virginia Military Institute is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (1,512 students vs. 1,031 students)
Cairn vs. VMI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cairn or VMI?
- Cairn University is 219.5% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $9,782.00)
- Out of state tuition is 26.7% higher at VMI than Cairn University ($39,590.00 vs. $31,255.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Cairn ($18,129 vs. $25,923)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 10.2% lower than costs at Cairn University ($10,674 vs. $11,764)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Virginia Military Institute (96% vs. 69%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 4% larger than aid received Cairn University ($19,111 vs. $18,376)
Cairn vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Cairn or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or Cairn .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 163 points higher than at Cairn (976)
- Incoming VMI students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Cairn (21)
- Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Cairn (3.31)
- Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than VMI (71.1%)
Cairn vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cairn or VMI? 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 VMI and Cairn.
- The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Cairn University (69% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $25,100 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $37,000)
- Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
- VMI graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
- More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/