Catawba College vs. Tusculum College

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

Catawba College Tusculum College
Location Salisbury, NC Greeneville, TN
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,241 1,200
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #993
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu tusculum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College Tusculum College
Tuition (In State) $33,400 $27,500
Tuition (Out of State) $33,400 $27,500
Room & Board $12,550 $10,750
Avg Net Price $18,319 $22,961
Avg Grant Aid $29,599 $20,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Catawba College Tusculum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,547 758
Admitted 1,979 458
Acceptance Rate 77.7% 60.4%
Enrolled % 15.6% 47.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.18
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 17/22
SAT Range 1010/1186 910/1110
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

Academics

Catawba College Tusculum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (55%)
  • Education (31%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (1%)

Outcomes

Catawba College Tusculum College
Graduation Rate 54% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $41,900
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

Catawba College Tusculum College
% Men 3% 8%
% Women 4% 7%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 74%
% Black 19% 14%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Catawba College Tusculum College
% In-State 61% 45%
% Out-of-State 34% 44%

Campus

Catawba College Tusculum College
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

  • Catawba College is larger than than Tusculum College based on total student enrollment (1,241 students vs. 1,200 students)

Catawba College vs. Tusculum College Cost Comparison

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

  • Catawba College is 21.5% more expensive to attend than Tusculum College for in-state tuition ($33,400.00 vs. $27,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.5% higher at Catawba College than Tusculum College ($33,400.00 vs. $27,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Tusculum College ($18,319 vs. $22,961)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tusculum College are 16.7% lower than costs at Catawba College ($10,750 vs. $12,550)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College as Tusculum College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 45.3% larger than aid received Tusculum College ($29,599 vs. $20,374)

Catawba College vs. Tusculum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 30 points higher than at Tusculum College (960)
  • Incoming Catawba College students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Tusculum College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Tusculum College (3.18)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than Tusculum College (60.4%)

Catawba College vs. Tusculum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or Tusculum 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 Tusculum College and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Tusculum College (54% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $100 more per year than Tusculum College graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $41,900)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Tusculum College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Tusculum College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tusculum College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 52%)

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