Catawba College vs. UNC Charlotte

Should I go to Catawba College or University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Catawba College or UNC Charlotte 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. University of North Carolina at Charlotte comparison
Catawba College University of North Carolina at Charlotte College 3 College 4
Catawba College University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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Overview

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
Location Salisbury, NC Charlotte, NC
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 1,172 29,551
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #562
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $17,936
Room & Board $11,576 $12,896
Avg Net Price $19,701 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 60%

Admission

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 21,355
Admitted 2,146 17,007
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 79.6%
Enrolled % 13.9% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/27 20/27
SAT Range 1000/1210 1070/1290
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 54% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $237

Diversity

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
% Men 48% 49%
% Women 52% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 60%
% Black 19% 17%
% Hispanic 5% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
% In-State 61% 89%
% Out-of-State 34% 8%

Campus

Catawba College UNC Charlotte
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

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or UNC Charlotte?

  • Catawba College is 762.2% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.3% higher at Catawba College than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($32,868.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than Catawba College ($13,951 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 11.4% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,576 vs. $12,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (100% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 240.4% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($26,913 vs. $7,907)

Catawba College vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1093) is 103 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming UNC Charlotte students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (54% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $6,600 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $42,000)
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,000)
  • UNC Charlotte graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($237 vs. $258)
  • More UNC Charlotte graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 60%)

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