Catawba College vs. SU

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

Catawba College SU
Location Salisbury, NC Winchester, VA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,172 4,260
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College SU
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $33,790
Room & Board $11,576 $11,230
Avg Net Price $19,701 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Catawba College SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 2,296
Admitted 2,146 1,845
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 80.4%
Enrolled % 13.9% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/27 19/26
SAT Range 1000/1210 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Catawba College SU
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%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Catawba College SU
Graduation Rate 54% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

Catawba College SU
% Men 48% 32%
% Women 52% 68%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 59%
% Black 19% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 13%

Students

Catawba College SU
% In-State 61% 52%
% Out-of-State 34% 48%

Campus

Catawba College SU
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

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 2.8% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.8% higher at SU than Catawba College ($33,790.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than SU ($19,701 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 3.1% lower than costs at Catawba College ($11,230 vs. $11,576)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College as Shenandoah University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 14.7% larger than aid received Shenandoah University ($26,913 vs. $23,467)

Catawba College vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shenandoah University (1005) is 15 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming SU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Catawba College (3.64)
  • SU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Shenandoah University (54% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Shenandoah University earn on average $6,300 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($48,300 vs. $42,000)
  • Shenandoah University and Catawba College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Shenandoah University and Catawba College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 60%)

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