Cairn University-Langhorne
Langhorne, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 88.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Poor Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Cairn University earns an overall ROI score of 25 (Poor Value) on CampusROI's framework. The Christian-mission school in Langhorne, PA charges $34,009 in published tuition and an average net price of $27,642, putting four-year cost of attendance near $110,568. The drivers of the weak score are clear: median earnings six years after entry are only $30,600 (rising to $44,172 at 10 years), debt-to-earnings sits at 0.88, and the calculated payback period stretches to 27.3 years. The bright spot is the 59.7% completion rate, which is materially better than peer faith-based institutions in this price band and reflects a small, engaged student body of 775. Repayment behavior is mixed at 71.5% one-year. In plain terms, students who graduate stay enrolled in repayment, but earnings simply do not climb fast enough to offset the borrowed $26,926 median balance. Families considering Cairn for vocational ministry should weigh the spiritual fit against the financial math.
The data raises concerns about Cairn University-Langhorne
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score25/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period27.3 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Cairn University-Langhorne
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,009/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,009/yr |
| Average net price | $27,642/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $110,568 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $44,172 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,600 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,926 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $285 |
| Estimated payback period | 27.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 59.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 775 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $34,009/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,642/year, or roughly $110,568 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $24,029/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,129/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $26,926 in federal loans, which works out to about $285 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $44,172 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.88, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $24,029 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $23,867 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $26,050 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $26,309 |
| $110,001+ | $33,129 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay an average $24,029 net per year at Cairn - roughly $96,000 across four years. That is a heavy lift relative to the $30,600 median early-career earnings these graduates report. Without substantial outside scholarships or denominational aid, the math does not work, and federal Pell plus subsidized loans alone will not bridge the gap. Cost is barely lower for the 30-48K bracket at $23,867.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48K-$110K) pay $26,050 to $26,309 net per year, almost no aid discount versus higher-income brackets. Four-year total runs $104K-$105K. Against a $44,172 ten-year median earnings figure, debt-to-earnings of 0.88 is a hard sell. This is the bracket where Cairn looks priciest relative to outcomes - a public or in-state Christian alternative likely produces a better number.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families over $110K pay $33,129 net per year - effectively close to full sticker. At $132K total cost of attendance, the value question becomes whether the explicit Christian formation justifies the premium versus secular peers with stronger earnings outcomes. Wealthier families absorbing this cash-flow are subsidizing mission, not capturing financial ROI.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Cairn University-Langhorne with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $61,973 | C+ |
| Psychology | $36,295 | - |
| Social Work | $45,729 | D |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | $47,805 | - |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $55,492 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is Cairn's best-performing program with a C+ ROI grade. Graduates earn $50,263 one year out and $61,973 at four years, against median program debt of $26,887. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.535 is well below the institutional average of 0.88, meaning business grads are the cohort most likely to make the Cairn math work. With 19 graduates per cycle it is a modest program, but it functions as the financially defensible track at a school where most majors do not clear that bar.
Social Work
Social Work pulls a D grade. Graduates earn $36,289 one year out and $45,729 at four years against $27,000 median debt - a 0.744 debt-to-earnings ratio. The discipline pays poorly nationwide and Cairn's pricing makes the equation worse. Students drawn to social work for mission reasons should still run the math against a lower-cost state alternative; the credential value is similar but the borrowed capital is not.
Religion/Religious Studies
Religion/Religious Studies earns a D with the highest debt-to-earnings ratio in Cairn's reportable programs at 0.887. Graduates carry $30,750 median debt against $34,663 first-year earnings. For students entering ministry as a primary career, the Scorecard earnings data understates true vocation value, but it accurately reflects what banks and federal underwriters see when loan repayment starts.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 16 students per cycle with $36,295 in median four-year earnings. Earnings and debt detail are partially suppressed, but the four-year figure suggests undergraduate psych alone is not a clear path to professional wages here. Students planning to continue to graduate study should consider whether the undergraduate cost at Cairn is justified versus a cheaper feeder institution.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 69.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Cairn University-Langhorne’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 88.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 460-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-590 |
| Enrollment | 775 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 32.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,206 |
Cairn is broadly accessible with an 88.2% admission rate. Reported SAT mid-ranges are 460-570 math and 540-590 reading; ACT mid-ranges are not reported. The low selectivity bar means academic preparation varies widely across each incoming class, and that variance helps explain why the 59.7% completion rate is solid for the sector but still leaves four in ten students walking away without a credential.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Cairn's peer set on CampusROI includes Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, Albright College, Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary, Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz, and Drury University's College of Continuing Professional Studies. Albright is the most conventional comparison, a Pennsylvania private nonprofit with stronger career outcomes. The two yeshiva institutions and Bryn Athyn share Cairn's faith-based ministry training profile, where earnings data systematically understates value to students whose careers run through religious vocations rather than salaried tracks.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairn University-Langhorne (this school) | 25 | $27,642 | $44,172 |
| Albright College | 56 | $20,024 | $58,700 |
| Bryn Athyn College of the New Church | 34 | $20,586 | $40,457 |
| Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz | 27 | $21,437 | $35,023 |
| Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 25 | $4,543 | $17,360 |
| Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | 24 | $10,566 | $40,694 |
Who Thrives Here
Cairn fits students drawn to evangelical Christian formation who want a small (775-student) campus and are willing to accept a 30.6K early-career earnings reality. Pell rate is 32.1%, suggesting a moderate mix of working- and middle-income families. Business Administration is the standout program at a C+ grade. Anyone aiming at psychology, social work, or religious studies as a primary career path should price-in the 27-plus year payback window before signing the enrollment deposit.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
We'll be straight with you: the numbers at Cairn University-Langhorne are a real concern. With a net cost of $27,642 per year and the typical graduate earning only $44,172 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 27.3 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost - go in with your eyes open.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, high debt relative to what graduates earn, concerning loan repayment rates, a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,926 against $44,172 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.