Central College vs. Cairn

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

Central College Cairn
Location Pella, IA Langhorne, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,169 1,031
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College Cairn
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $31,255
Room & Board $10,860 $11,764
Avg Net Price $23,303 $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Central College Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 468
Admitted 1,561 379
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 81%
Enrolled % 22.5% 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1040/1218
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

Central College Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Central College Cairn
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Central College Cairn
% Men 52% 47%
% Women 48% 53%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 72%
% Black 2% 14%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Central College Cairn
% In-State 73% 60%
% Out-of-State 26% 36%

Campus

Central College 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

  • Central College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (1,169 students vs. 1,031 students)

Central College vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 57.9% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.9% higher at Cairn than Central College ($31,255.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Central College than Cairn ($23,303 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 8.3% lower than costs at Cairn University ($10,860 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than Cairn University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 67.1% larger than aid received Central College ($18,376 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 92 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming Central College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Cairn has a higher acceptance rate (81%) than Central College (79.2%)

Central College vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College 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 Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is the same as at Cairn University (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $11,000 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $37,000)
  • Cairn University and Central College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Cairn University and Central College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Central College 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/