Catawba College vs. UNCSA

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

Catawba College UNCSA
Location Salisbury, NC Winston-Salem, NC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,172 1,104
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #291
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu uncsa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College UNCSA
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $6,497
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $23,731
Room & Board $11,576 $12,902
Avg Net Price $19,701 $11,251
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $10,868
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 69%

Admission

Catawba College UNCSA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 1,139
Admitted 2,146 362
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 31.8%
Enrolled % 13.9% 58%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 18/27 22/30
SAT Range 1000/1210 1115/1350
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 Mar 15, 2025

Academics

Catawba College UNCSA
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

Catawba College UNCSA
Graduation Rate 54% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

Catawba College UNCSA
% Men 48% 41%
% Women 52% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 72%
% Black 19% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Catawba College UNCSA
% In-State 61% 43%
% Out-of-State 34% 52%

Campus

Catawba College UNCSA
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 UNCSA based on total student enrollment (1,172 students vs. 1,104 students)

Catawba College vs. UNCSA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or UNCSA?

  • Catawba College is 405.9% more expensive to attend than UNCSA for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $6,497.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.5% higher at Catawba College than University of North Carolina School of the Arts ($32,868.00 vs. $23,731.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina School of the Arts than Catawba College ($11,251 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 11.5% lower than costs at University of North Carolina School of the Arts ($11,576 vs. $12,902)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than University of North Carolina School of the Arts (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 147.6% larger than aid received University of North Carolina School of the Arts ($26,913 vs. $10,868)

Catawba College vs. UNCSA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (1108) is 118 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming UNCSA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman UNCSA students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Catawba College (3.64)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (67.1%) than UNCSA (31.8%)

Catawba College vs. UNCSA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNCSA is higher than Catawba College (58% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $2,900 more per year than UNCSA graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCSA graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UNCSA graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCSA students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 56%)

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