Culinary Institute of America vs. Cairn

Comparable Facts

Compare Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY with Cairn University Langhorne in Langhorne, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Culinary Institute of America is larger than Cairn based on total student enrollment (3,147 students vs. 1,097 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Culinary Institute of America is located in Hyde Park, NY (Large Suburban setting); Cairn University Langhorne is in Langhorne, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Culinary Institute of America is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cairn University Langhorne is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Culinary Institute of America 18:1; Cairn University Langhorne 11:1.

Culinary Institute of America vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Culinary Institute of America or Cairn? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cairn University Langhorne than Culinary Institute of America ($23,273 vs. $39,581).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University Langhorne are 15.1% lower than at Culinary Institute of America ($12,753 vs. $15,030).
• Culinary Institute of America is 17.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cairn (about $5,841 more per year; $39,850.00 vs. $34,009.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.2% higher at Culinary Institute of America than at Cairn University Langhorne (about $5,841 more per year; $39,850.00 vs. $34,009.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Culinary Institute of America than at Cairn University Langhorne (99% vs. 77%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University Langhorne students is 10.7% larger than aid received by Culinary Institute of America students ($21,416 vs. $19,350).

Culinary Institute of America vs. Cairn Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Culinary Institute of America or Cairn? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Cairn and Culinary Institute of America.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Cairn University Langhorne (1080) is 20 points higher than at Culinary Institute of America (1060).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Culinary Institute of America 928/1183; Cairn University Langhorne 1000/1160.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Culinary Institute of America 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Culinary Institute of America - Test optional; Cairn - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Cairn students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Culinary Institute of America (3.26).
• Culinary Institute of America has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Cairn (88.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31% at Culinary Institute of America vs. 45.2% at Cairn.

Culinary Institute of America vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Culinary Institute of America and Cairn? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Culinary Institute of America earn a median of about $9,600 more per year than Cairn graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,600 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Culinary Institute of America graduates have a $12,000 lower median loan debt than Cairn graduates ($15,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Culinary Institute of America graduates have an estimated $124 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cairn graduates ($155 vs. $279).
• More Culinary Institute of America graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.