Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Cairn

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

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
Location Erie, PA Langhorne, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,295 1,031
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu cairn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $31,255
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $31,255
Room & Board $12,984 $11,764
Avg Net Price $21,968 $25,923
Avg Grant Aid $9,685 $18,376
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 96%

Admission

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,363 468
Admitted 4,164 379
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 81%
Enrolled % 19.9% 53.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1095/1330
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

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (71%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (2%)

Outcomes

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
Graduation Rate 66% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $37,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
% Men 64% 47%
% Women 36% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 4% 14%
% Hispanic 2% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
% In-State 74% 60%
% Out-of-State 19% 36%

Campus

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cairn
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than Cairn based on total student enrollment (3,295 students vs. 1,031 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Cairn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or Cairn?

  • Cairn University is 103.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($31,255.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.9% higher at Cairn than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($31,255.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Cairn ($21,968 vs. $25,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cairn University are 10.4% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($11,764 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cairn University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (96% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cairn University students is 89.7% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($18,376 vs. $9,685)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Cairn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 78 points higher than at Cairn (976)
  • Incoming Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Cairn (21)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Cairn (3.31)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Cairn (81%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Cairn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend 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 Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Cairn University (66% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $18,300 more per year than Cairn graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $37,000)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Cairn graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Cairn graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cairn students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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