Catawba College vs. Elizabethtown College

Comparable Facts

Compare Catawba College in Salisbury, NC with Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Elizabethtown College is larger than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (2,283 students vs. 1,376 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Catawba College is located in Salisbury, NC (Distant Town setting); Elizabethtown College is in Elizabethtown, PA (Town Fringe setting).
• Catawba College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Elizabethtown College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Catawba College 13:1; Elizabethtown College 13:1.

Catawba College vs. Elizabethtown College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or Elizabethtown College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Elizabethtown College ($18,447 vs. $27,760).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Elizabethtown College are 1.7% lower than at Catawba College ($13,340 vs. $13,565).
• Elizabethtown College is 10.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Catawba College (about $3,650 more per year; $37,950.00 vs. $34,300.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.6% higher at Elizabethtown College than at Catawba College (about $3,650 more per year; $37,950.00 vs. $34,300.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Catawba College as at Elizabethtown College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 33.6% larger than aid received by Elizabethtown College students ($30,808 vs. $23,064).

Catawba College vs. Elizabethtown College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Catawba College or Elizabethtown College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Elizabethtown College and Catawba College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Elizabethtown College (1210) is 40 points higher than at Catawba College (1170).
• Incoming Elizabethtown College students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 21 at Catawba College).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Catawba College 1030/1300; Elizabethtown College 1105/1310.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Catawba College 17/25; Elizabethtown College 26/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Catawba College - Test optional; Elizabethtown College - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Catawba College Aug 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Elizabethtown College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Catawba College (3.64).
• Elizabethtown College has a higher acceptance rate (77.9%) than Catawba College (75.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.5% at Catawba College vs. 17.6% at Elizabethtown College.

Catawba College vs. Elizabethtown College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Catawba College and Elizabethtown College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Elizabethtown College's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Catawba College's (54%).
• Graduates from Elizabethtown College earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than Catawba College graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,800 vs. $42,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Catawba College graduates have a $2,000 lower median loan debt than Elizabethtown College graduates ($25,000 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Catawba College graduates have an estimated $21 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Elizabethtown College graduates ($258 vs. $279).
• More Elizabethtown College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 60%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.