Carson-Newman University vs Elon University

Carson-Newman University and Elon University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Carson-Newman, a private Christian university in Jefferson City, Tennessee, fosters a close-knit community with a strong emphasis on faith and service. Elon, a private nonsectarian university in Elon, North Carolina, is known for its innovative curriculum, experiential learning opportunities, and vibrant campus life. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Carson-Newman University	Elon University
Overview
Location	Jefferson City, Tennessee	Elon, North Carolina
Campus setting	Suburb: Small	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	69.0%	88.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	78.9%	77.7%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	955 - 1135	N/A
ACT range	19 - 25	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	9.0%
Students submitting ACT score	78.0%
Total number of applicants	2,953	17,834
Total number of admissions given out	2,329	13,859
Admitted students who chose to enroll	395	1,591
Yield rate	17.0%	11.5%
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	$43,818	$55,647
Average net price	$18,147	$40,366
Tuition	$29,920	$38,218
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,134 Meal plan: $5,340	Room/dormitory: $6,593 Meal plan: $6,829
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $23,432	67.0% Average amount $13,677
Students receiving federal student loan	55.0% Average amount $5,217	30.0% Average amount $5,259
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $11,046	7.0% Average amount $25,192

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,695 Men 42.8% Women 57.2%	6,302 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%
Graduate students	1,140 Men 23.9% Women 76.1%	825 Men 36.5% Women 63.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	22.8%	80.6%
International students	4.0%	2.0%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,172	4,192
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Tennessee Florida Georgia South Carolina North Carolina	North Carolina New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Business Health Professions Liberal Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies	Business Legal Profession Health Professions Communication and Journalism Education
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	56.5%	83.3%
Dropout rate	7.6%	16.7%
Transferred out	35.2%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $81,965 Year 2: $85,760 Year 3: $89,368 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $50,676 Year 2: $51,829 Year 3: $54,331 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,186 Year 2: $50,499 Year 3: $53,320 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,686 Year 2: $50,465 Year 3: $53,061 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $49,368 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,928 Year 2: $42,853 Year 3: $46,623 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,221 Year 2: $36,745 Year 3: $43,416 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,689 Year 2: $36,110 Year 3: $40,485 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,153 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $43,693 Year 2: $49,331 Year 3: N/A	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,556 Year 2: $104,061 Year 3: $105,320 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,803 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $78,720 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,320 Year 2: $60,016 Year 3: $77,567 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,276 Year 2: $54,192 Year 3: $77,220 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,564 Year 2: $62,154 Year 3: $76,604 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $68,888 Year 2: $69,629 Year 3: $70,208 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,091 Year 2: $50,022 Year 3: $64,255 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,189 Year 3: $59,817 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,293 Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: $58,053 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,055 Year 3: $55,617

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