Biola University vs Cornerstone University

Biola University and Cornerstone University, both esteemed Christian institutions, offer unique educational experiences to students seeking a faith-based higher education. While they share common values, they also possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. Biola, located in La Mirada, California, boasts a lower acceptance rate and a higher graduation rate compared to Cornerstone, situated in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Biola's student body is more diverse, with a larger international student population, while Cornerstone's student body is predominantly White. In terms of academic offerings, Biola offers a wider range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including popular majors like Business, Psychology, and Nursing, while Cornerstone focuses on a more limited selection of undergraduate programs, with strengths in Business, Education, and Ministry. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these universities and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Biola University	Cornerstone University
Overview
Location	La Mirada, California	Grand Rapids, Michigan
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	88.0%	97.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation	Undenominational	Interdenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	60.8%	91.3%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1103 - 1348	970 - 1220
ACT range	22 - 29	20 - 25
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	69.0%
Students submitting ACT score	11.0%	36.0%
Total number of applicants	4,354	1,923
Total number of admissions given out	2,646	1,756
Admitted students who chose to enroll	655	376
Yield rate	24.8%	21.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$59,500	$41,010
Average net price	$29,123	$20,780
Tuition	$44,382	$27,040
Room & board	$10,202	$10,310
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $28,421	99.0% Average amount $16,518
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $4,897	63.0% Average amount $6,916
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $15,279	12.0% Average amount $11,888

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,596 Men 38.0% Women 62.0%	1,507 Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Graduate students	1,955 Men 54.5% Women 45.5%	423 Men 45.6% Women 54.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	28.6%	N/A
International students	9.2%	6.2%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	2,750	780
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	California Washington Oregon Texas Colorado	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Theology Health Professions Education Philosophy and Religious Studies Psychology	Business Theology Psychology Education Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.9%	59.0%
Dropout rate	6.1%	41.0%
Transferred out	22.7%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $78,482 Year 2: $74,576 Year 3: $86,424 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $73,587 Year 2: $62,012 Year 3: $72,963 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,111 Year 2: $44,711 Year 3: $53,447 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,980 Year 2: $51,273 Year 3: $52,274 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,574 Year 2: $26,585 Year 3: $44,140 Music (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,811 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $43,156 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,228 Year 2: $35,772 Year 3: $41,681 Religious Education (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,993 Year 2: $26,933 Year 3: $41,017 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,448 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $40,971 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,443 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $40,650	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,236 Year 2: $64,493 Year 3: $68,578 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,545 Year 2: $46,924 Year 3: $49,548 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,833 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $40,250 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,175 Year 2: $31,133 Year 3: $30,492 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,124 Year 2: $32,162 Year 3: $30,082 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,632 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $23,464 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,707 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,464 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,145 Year 2: $25,774 Year 3: N/A

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Biola University vs Cornerstone University

Biola University

Cornerstone University

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Academics

Outcome

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