PennWest California vs. Cairn

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

PennWest California Cairn
Location California, PA Langhorne, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,509 1,031
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Cairn
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $31,255
Room & Board $10,416 $11,764
Avg Net Price - $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $0 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 96%

Admission

PennWest California Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 468
Admitted - 379
Acceptance Rate 81%
Enrolled % 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2024

Academics

PennWest California Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Cairn
Graduation Rate 53% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

PennWest California Cairn
% Men 39% 47%
% Women 61% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 72%
% Black 12% 14%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

PennWest California Cairn
% In-State 86% 60%
% Out-of-State 13% 36%

Campus

PennWest California Cairn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,031 students)

PennWest California vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 305.1% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 170% higher at Cairn than PennWest California ($31,255.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 12.9% lower than costs at Cairn University ($10,416 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than PennWest California (96% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($18,376 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Cairn University (976) is 54 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Cairn students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have at the same average high school GPA (3.31) as students at Cairn (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California 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 PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Cairn is higher than PennWest California (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $5,500 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,000)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Cairn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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