Catawba College vs. Penn State Mont Alto

Should I go to Catawba College or Penn State Mont Alto? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Catawba College or Penn State Mont Alto 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. Penn State Mont Alto comparison
Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto College 3 College 4
Catawba College
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Overview

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
Location Salisbury, NC Mont Alto, PA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,241 588
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
Tuition (In State) $33,400 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $33,400 $23,316
Room & Board $12,550 $12,022
Avg Net Price $18,319 $20,294
Avg Grant Aid $29,599 $9,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 81%

Admission

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,547 608
Admitted 1,979 549
Acceptance Rate 77.7% 90.3%
Enrolled % 15.6% 24.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 1010/1186 1080/1230
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

Academics

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (60%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
Graduation Rate 54% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 4% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 80%
% Black 19% 8%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
% In-State 61% 76%
% Out-of-State 34% 24%

Campus

Catawba College Penn State Mont Alto
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

  • Catawba College is larger than than Penn State Mont Alto based on total student enrollment (1,241 students vs. 588 students)

Catawba College vs. Penn State Mont Alto Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or Penn State Mont Alto?

  • Catawba College is 141.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Mont Alto for in-state tuition ($33,400.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.2% higher at Catawba College than Penn State Mont Alto ($33,400.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Penn State Mont Alto ($18,319 vs. $20,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Mont Alto are 4.4% lower than costs at Catawba College ($12,022 vs. $12,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Penn State Mont Alto (100% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 220.9% larger than aid received Penn State Mont Alto ($29,599 vs. $9,223)

Catawba College vs. Penn State Mont Alto Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 35 points higher than at Penn State Mont Alto (955)
  • Incoming Catawba College students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Penn State Mont Alto (21)
  • Penn State Mont Alto has a higher acceptance rate (90.3%) than Catawba College (77.7%)

Catawba College vs. Penn State Mont Alto Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Penn State Mont Alto and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Penn State Mont Alto (54% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Mont Alto earn on average $13,300 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Mont Alto graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Mont Alto graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Mont Alto graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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