Catawba College vs. ECSU

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

Catawba College ECSU
Location Salisbury, NC Elizabeth City, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,172 2,149
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #964
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu ecsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College ECSU
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $5,000
Room & Board $11,576 $8,727
Avg Net Price $19,701 $4,120
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $8,877
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

Catawba College ECSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 3,927
Admitted 2,146 2,912
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 74.2%
Enrolled % 13.9% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.16
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/27 16/22
SAT Range 1000/1210 850/1070
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 Jun 30, 2025

Academics

Catawba College ECSU
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 (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

Catawba College ECSU
Graduation Rate 54% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $30,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 23%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,125
Median Loan Payment $258 $270

Diversity

Catawba College ECSU
% Men 48% 42%
% Women 52% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 69% 14%
% Black 19% 74%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 8%

Students

Catawba College ECSU
% In-State 61% 65%
% Out-of-State 34% 32%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Elizabeth City State University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (2,149 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. ECSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or ECSU?

  • Catawba College is 3,186.8% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 557.4% higher at Catawba College than Elizabeth City State University ($32,868.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Elizabeth City State University than Catawba College ($4,120 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabeth City State University are 32.6% lower than costs at Catawba College ($8,727 vs. $11,576)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Elizabeth City State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 203.2% larger than aid received Elizabeth City State University ($26,913 vs. $8,877)

Catawba College vs. ECSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 146 points higher than at ECSU (844)
  • Incoming Catawba College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at ECSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at ECSU (3.16)
  • ECSU has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. ECSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or ECSU? 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 ECSU and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Elizabeth City State University (54% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $11,300 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $30,700)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $1,125 lower median federal student loan debt than ECSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,125)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than ECSU graduates. ($258 vs. $270)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 23%)

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