Cornerstone University vs North Park University

Cornerstone University and North Park University, 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 North Park's 78%. Cornerstone's student body is predominantly White (79%), while North Park, located in Chicago, Illinois, has a more diverse student population, with 49% White, 22% Hispanic, and 13% Black students. Both universities offer a range of popular majors, including Business, Education, and Nursing, but Cornerstone also features programs in Bible and Ministry. While North Park boasts a slightly higher graduation rate (68% vs. 66%), Cornerstone offers a more affordable tuition rate. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Cornerstone University	North Park University
Overview
Location	Grand Rapids, Michigan	Chicago, Illinois
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
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	97.0%	70.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Interdenominational	Evangelical

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.3%	67.1%
Application fees
SAT range	970 - 1220	890 - 1162
ACT range	20 - 25	20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	69.0%	19.0%
Students submitting ACT score	36.0%	6.0%
Total number of applicants	1,923	4,053
Total number of admissions given out	1,756	2,721
Admitted students who chose to enroll	376	464
Yield rate	21.4%	17.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$41,010	$47,375
Average net price	$20,780	$20,260
Tuition	$27,040	$32,380
Room & board	$10,310	Room/dormitory: $5,160 Meal plan: $5,430
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $16,518	100.0% Average amount $19,942
Students receiving federal student loan	63.0% Average amount $6,916	60.0% Average amount $5,488
Students taking out private loans	12.0% Average amount $11,888	4.0% Average amount $11,842

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,507 Men 38.7% Women 61.3%	1,849 Men 40.5% Women 59.5%
Graduate students	423 Men 45.6% Women 54.4%	900 Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	19.9%
International students	6.2%	5.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	780	975
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Illinois Michigan Minnesota Indiana Texas

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Theology Psychology Education Health Professions	Business Health Professions Education Psychology Theology
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	59.0%	61.2%
Dropout rate	41.0%	38.5%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $91,035 Year 2: $101,701 Year 3: $102,196 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,814 Year 2: $63,826 Year 3: $68,658 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $59,735 Year 2: $58,303 Year 3: $68,598 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,020 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $51,484 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,981 Year 2: $45,584 Year 3: $50,369 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,705 Year 2: $39,153 Year 3: $42,488 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,833 Year 2: $30,228 Year 3: $41,110 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,424 Year 3: $36,568 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,061 Year 2: $32,094 Year 3: $34,344 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,644 Year 2: $24,421 Year 3: $31,996

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