Cairn vs. WCU

Should I go to Cairn University or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cairn or WCU 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. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Cairn University West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

 Cairn WCU
Location Langhorne, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,031 17,275
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cairn.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cairn WCU
Tuition (In State) $31,255 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $31,255 $19,290
Room & Board $11,764 $14,228
Avg Net Price $25,923 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $18,376 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 64%

Admission

 Cairn WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 468 14,778
Admitted 379 12,982
Acceptance Rate 81% 87.8%
Enrolled % 53.3% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30
SAT Range 1080/1260
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

Academics

 Cairn WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Cairn WCU
Graduation Rate 63% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

 Cairn WCU
% Men 47% 39%
% Women 53% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 78%
% Black 14% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 Cairn WCU
% In-State 60% 87%
% Out-of-State 36% 12%

Campus

 Cairn WCU
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 1,031 students)

Cairn vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cairn or WCU?

  • Cairn University is 305.1% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62% higher at Cairn than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($31,255.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Cairn ($22,973 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 20.9% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,764 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (96% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 237.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($18,376 vs. $5,443)

Cairn vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 96 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Cairn (81%)

Cairn vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Cairn University (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $12,000 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $37,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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