Catawba College vs. Coastal Carolina

Should I go to Catawba College or Coastal Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Catawba College or Coastal Carolina 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. Coastal Carolina University comparison
Catawba College Coastal Carolina University College 3 College 4
Catawba College Coastal Carolina University
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Overview

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
Location Salisbury, NC Conway, SC
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,172 10,337
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #821
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu coastal.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $11,460
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $28,310
Room & Board $11,576 $10,628
Avg Net Price $19,701 $14,016
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $10,610
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 88%

Admission

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 17,161
Admitted 2,146 13,493
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 78.6%
Enrolled % 13.9% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/27 20/25
SAT Range 1000/1210 1020/1190
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

Academics

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
Graduation Rate 54% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,930
Median Loan Payment $258 $257

Diversity

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
% Men 48% 45%
% Women 52% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 68%
% Black 19% 20%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
% In-State 61% 31%
% Out-of-State 34% 68%

Campus

Catawba College Coastal Carolina
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

  • Coastal Carolina University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (10,337 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. Coastal Carolina Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or Coastal Carolina?

  • Catawba College is 186.8% more expensive to attend than Coastal Carolina for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $11,460.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.1% higher at Catawba College than Coastal Carolina University ($32,868.00 vs. $28,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Coastal Carolina University than Catawba College ($14,016 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastal Carolina University are 8.9% lower than costs at Catawba College ($10,628 vs. $11,576)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Coastal Carolina University (100% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 153.7% larger than aid received Coastal Carolina University ($26,913 vs. $10,610)

Catawba College vs. Coastal Carolina Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Coastal Carolina University (1009) is 19 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming Coastal Carolina students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Catawba College (3.64)
  • Coastal Carolina has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. Coastal Carolina Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or Coastal Carolina? 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 Coastal Carolina and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Coastal Carolina University (54% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Coastal Carolina University earn on average $200 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $42,000)
  • Coastal Carolina University students graduate with a $70 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($24,930 vs. $25,000)
  • Coastal Carolina graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($257 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastal Carolina students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 54%)

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