Cornerstone University vs Aurora University

Cornerstone University and Aurora University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Cornerstone, a private Christian university, boasts a tight-knit community with a focus on faith-based education, while Aurora, a public university, prides itself on its diverse student body and commitment to academic excellence. With Cornerstone's acceptance rate standing at 75% compared to Aurora's 80%, both universities welcome a substantial number of applicants. While Cornerstone's student body predominantly comprises White students, Aurora's student population reflects a more diverse mix. Explore the comparison table below to delve into further details regarding acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which university best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Aurora University logo

Aurora University

Cornerstone University logo

Cornerstone University

Overview

Location Aurora, Illinois 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 78.0% 97.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Interdenominational

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.4% 91.3%
Application fees
SAT range 960 - 1130 970 - 1220
ACT range 19 - 24 20 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 35.0% 69.0%
Students submitting ACT score 14.0% 36.0%
Total number of applicants 3,101 1,923
Total number of admissions given out 2,680 1,756
Admitted students who chose to enroll 822 376
Yield rate 30.7% 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 $35,160 $41,010
Average net price $17,410 $20,780
Tuition $26,400 $27,040
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,840

Meal plan: $5,440
$10,310
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $18,441
99.0%
Average amount $16,518
Students receiving federal student loan 56.0%
Average amount $4,944
63.0%
Average amount $6,916
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $12,101
12.0%
Average amount $11,888

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,114
Men 33.6% Women 66.4%
1,507
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Graduate students 2,051
Men 20.7% Women 79.3%
423
Men 45.6% Women 54.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 23.4% N/A
International students 0.5% 6.2%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 641 780
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Illinois Wisconsin Indiana Texas California N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
  • Theology
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 55.4% 59.0%
Dropout rate 43.8% 41.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,923
  • Year 2: $65,238
  • Year 3: $70,820
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,230
  • Year 2: $66,941
  • Year 3: $65,026
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,536
  • Year 2: $62,661
  • Year 3: $64,344
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,727
  • Year 2: $67,101
  • Year 3: $62,891
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,719
  • Year 2: $47,200
  • Year 3: $60,344
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,889
  • Year 2: $50,105
  • Year 3: $56,830
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,853
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $55,663
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,464
  • Year 3: $55,626
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,398
  • Year 2: $50,105
  • Year 3: $53,070
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,164
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $52,090
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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