Catawba College vs. BC

Should I go to Catawba College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Catawba College or BC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Catawba College vs. Bridgewater College comparison
Catawba College Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
Catawba College Bridgewater College
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Overview

 Catawba College BC
Location Salisbury, NC Bridgewater, VA
Setting Distant Town Small Suburban
Enrollment 1,172 1,421
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #676
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Catawba College BC
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $38,800
Room & Board $11,576 $13,830
Avg Net Price $19,701 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Catawba College BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 3,402
Admitted 2,146 3,074
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 90.4%
Enrolled % 13.9% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/27 22/28
SAT Range 1000/1210 1020/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Catawba College BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Catawba College BC
Graduation Rate 54% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

 Catawba College BC
% Men 48% 48%
% Women 52% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 73%
% Black 19% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Catawba College BC
% In-State 61% 73%
% Out-of-State 34% 24%

Campus

 Catawba College BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater College is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,421 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 18% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18% higher at BC than Catawba College ($38,800.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Catawba College ($19,332 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 19.5% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($11,576 vs. $13,830)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College as Bridgewater College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 26.9% larger than aid received Catawba College ($34,142 vs. $26,913)

Catawba College vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Catawba College or BC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BC or Catawba College .

  • The average SAT score at Bridgewater College (1034) is 44 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming BC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at BC (3.61)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or BC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between BC and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Catawba College (59% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $1,100 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 60%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/