Catawba College vs. Roanoke College

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

Catawba College Roanoke College
Location Salisbury, NC Salem, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,172 1,826
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #419
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu roanoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College Roanoke College
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $33,510
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $33,510
Room & Board $11,576 $15,366
Avg Net Price $19,701 $29,169
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $36,176
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Catawba College Roanoke College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 5,055
Admitted 2,146 4,032
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 79.8%
Enrolled % 13.9% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/27 22/28
SAT Range 1000/1210 1070/1260
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 Roanoke College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Catawba College Roanoke College
Graduation Rate 54% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

Catawba College Roanoke College
% Men 48% 46%
% Women 52% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 82%
% Black 19% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Catawba College Roanoke College
% In-State 61% 58%
% Out-of-State 34% 40%

Campus

Catawba College Roanoke College
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

  • Roanoke College is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,826 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or Roanoke College?

  • Roanoke College is 2% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($33,510.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at Roanoke College than Catawba College ($33,510.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Roanoke College ($19,701 vs. $29,169)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 32.7% lower than costs at Roanoke College ($11,576 vs. $15,366)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College as Roanoke College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 34.4% larger than aid received Catawba College ($36,176 vs. $26,913)

Catawba College vs. Roanoke College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Roanoke College (1092) is 102 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming Roanoke College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Roanoke College (3.56)
  • Roanoke College has a higher acceptance rate (79.8%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Roanoke College is higher than Catawba College (69% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Roanoke College earn on average $9,200 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Roanoke College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Roanoke College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Roanoke College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 60%)

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