Catawba College vs. WSSU

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

Catawba College WSSU
Location Salisbury, NC Winston-Salem, NC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,172 5,004
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #515 #956
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu wssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College WSSU
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $3,401
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $14,057
Room & Board $11,576 $11,220
Avg Net Price $19,701 $14,097
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $8,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

Catawba College WSSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 7,628
Admitted 2,146 5,598
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 73.4%
Enrolled % 13.9% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.01
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 18/27 14/19
SAT Range 1000/1210 830/1050
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

Catawba College WSSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Catawba College WSSU
Graduation Rate 54% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $35,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,663
Median Loan Payment $258 $265

Diversity

Catawba College WSSU
% Men 48% 24%
% Women 52% 76%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 69% 16%
% Black 19% 72%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Catawba College WSSU
% In-State 61% 82%
% Out-of-State 34% 16%

Campus

Catawba College WSSU
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

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or WSSU?

  • Catawba College is 866.4% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 133.8% higher at Catawba College than Winston Salem State University ($32,868.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than Catawba College ($14,097 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 3.2% lower than costs at Catawba College ($11,220 vs. $11,576)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Winston Salem State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 222.3% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($26,913 vs. $8,350)

Catawba College vs. WSSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 120 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming Catawba College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • WSSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Catawba College vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Winston Salem State University (54% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $6,300 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $35,700)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $663 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,663)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($258 vs. $265)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 33%)

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