Catawba College vs. USC Beaufort

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

Catawba College USC Beaufort
Location Salisbury, NC Bluffton, SC
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,241 2,121
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #944
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu uscb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College USC Beaufort
Tuition (In State) $33,400 $10,344
Tuition (Out of State) $33,400 $21,390
Room & Board $12,550 $9,810
Avg Net Price $18,319 $15,781
Avg Grant Aid $29,599 $7,735
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 90%

Admission

Catawba College USC Beaufort
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,547 2,745
Admitted 1,979 1,899
Acceptance Rate 77.7% 69.2%
Enrolled % 15.6% 26.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 17/22
SAT Range 1010/1186 940/1110
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 USC Beaufort
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (37%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Catawba College USC Beaufort
Graduation Rate 54% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,474
Median Loan Payment $258 $253

Diversity

Catawba College USC Beaufort
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 4% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 69% 57%
% Black 19% 22%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

Catawba College USC Beaufort
% In-State 61% 77%
% Out-of-State 34% 22%

Campus

Catawba College USC Beaufort
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 South Carolina Beaufort is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (2,121 students vs. 1,241 students)

Catawba College vs. USC Beaufort Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or USC Beaufort?

  • Catawba College is 222.9% more expensive to attend than USC Beaufort for in-state tuition ($33,400.00 vs. $10,344.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.1% higher at Catawba College than University of South Carolina Beaufort ($33,400.00 vs. $21,390.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Beaufort than Catawba College ($15,781 vs. $18,319)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Beaufort are 27.9% lower than costs at Catawba College ($9,810 vs. $12,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than University of South Carolina Beaufort (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 282.7% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Beaufort ($29,599 vs. $7,735)

Catawba College vs. USC Beaufort Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 63 points higher than at USC Beaufort (927)
  • Incoming Catawba College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at USC Beaufort (20)
  • Accepted freshman USC Beaufort students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Catawba College (3.64)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than USC Beaufort (69.2%)

Catawba College vs. USC Beaufort Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or USC Beaufort? 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 USC Beaufort and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than University of South Carolina Beaufort (54% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $5,300 more per year than USC Beaufort graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $36,700)
  • University of South Carolina Beaufort students graduate with a $526 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($24,474 vs. $25,000)
  • USC Beaufort graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($253 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Beaufort students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 50%)

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