Cornerstone University vs Concordia Chicago

Cornerstone University and Concordia University-Chicago, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Cornerstone, a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to Concordia's 75%. Cornerstone's student body is predominantly female (60%), while Concordia's is more evenly balanced (52% female, 48% male). Concordia's student body is also more diverse, with 30% of students identifying as racial or ethnic minorities compared to Cornerstone's 15%. Both universities offer a range of popular majors, including Business, Education, and Nursing, but Concordia also excels in the Arts and Humanities. While Cornerstone has a slightly higher graduation rate (68% vs. 65%), Concordia's students tend to have higher average earnings after graduation. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your
Concordia University-Chicago logo

Concordia University-Chicago

Cornerstone University logo

Cornerstone University

Overview

Location River Forest, 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 57.0% 97.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Evangelical Interdenominational

Admission

Acceptance rate 87.8% 91.3%
Application fees $50
SAT range N/A 970 - 1220
ACT range N/A 20 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 69.0%
Students submitting ACT score 36.0%
Total number of applicants 5,620 1,923
Total number of admissions given out 4,935 1,756
Admitted students who chose to enroll 336 376
Yield rate 6.8% 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 $44,860 $41,010
Average net price $18,817 $20,780
Tuition $33,310 $27,040
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,550

Meal plan: $3,880
$10,310
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $23,508
99.0%
Average amount $16,518
Students receiving federal student loan 64.0%
Average amount $4,744
63.0%
Average amount $6,916
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $11,395
12.0%
Average amount $11,888

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,438
Men 43.3% Women 56.7%
1,507
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Graduate students 4,648
Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
423
Men 45.6% Women 54.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 38.4% N/A
International students 2.7% 6.2%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 726 780
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Illinois Missouri Indiana Michigan Florida N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Theology
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 42.8% 59.0%
Dropout rate 14.0% 41.0%
Transferred out 43.2% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $111,823
  • Year 2: $114,892
  • Year 3: $115,033
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $86,536
  • Year 2: $99,683
  • Year 3: $105,927
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,837
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $69,591
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,893
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $69,201
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,510
  • Year 2: $63,855
  • Year 3: $67,477
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,778
  • Year 2: $57,657
  • Year 3: $64,254
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,253
  • Year 2: $58,057
  • Year 3: $60,306
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,265
  • Year 2: $57,937
  • Year 3: $59,496
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,650
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $59,101
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,219
  • Year 2: $59,576
  • Year 3: $57,980
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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