
Cairn University is a private Christian university in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, with roots in Bible education. Its history helps explain why biblical studies remain part of an institution that also offers programs in fields such as business, education, and social work.
The institution traces its founding to 1913 and the Philadelphia Bible Institute. It later operated as Philadelphia College of Bible and Philadelphia Biblical University before adopting the Cairn University name in 2012. Its move from Philadelphia to the Langhorne area established the campus students use today. Applicants comparing older records or alumni credentials may encounter those former names; they refer to stages in the same institution's development.
Cairn offers undergraduate and graduate study across biblical and theological fields and a range of professional and liberal arts subjects. Prospective students can explore programs in business, education, social work, psychology, music, and the sciences alongside Bible and ministry-related study.
Program choice matters more than the breadth of a university's overall catalog: a prospective teacher, social worker, or counselor should check the specific degree's curriculum, fieldwork requirements, and relationship to professional licensure. Applicants should also distinguish a major from a preprofessional pathway or concentration and confirm which programs are available on campus, online, or in another format.
Cairn's main campus is in Langhorne, a Bucks County community northeast of Philadelphia. The suburban setting offers access to the Philadelphia region without placing students in a downtown campus environment.
Students who plan to commute should assess the trip to Langhorne at the times their classes meet, rather than assuming that regional rail or other public transportation will cover the entire journey. Philadelphia International Airport is the principal major airport for the region. Location may also affect access to internships and field placements: opportunities elsewhere in the metropolitan area can require a substantial commute.
Cairn describes its educational mission in explicitly Christian terms, including preparing students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world. Its religious identity is therefore relevant to academic expectations and campus life, not simply to its history.
Applicants should review the university's current mission, statement of faith, and student policies to understand how biblical education and Christian commitments appear in coursework and community standards. These statements describe the institution's aims; they are not, by themselves, measures of individual students' experiences or outcomes.
Name of the institution
Cairn University-LanghorneLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PrivateSetting type
Suburb: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
1,000 - 4,999Religious affiliation
Protestant (Christian non-denominational)School type
Comprehensive higher education institutionMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersCairn University-Langhorne is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degreeData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.