Centenary University vs. Catawba College

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

 Centenary University Catawba College
Location Hackettstown, NJ Salisbury, NC
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,453 1,241
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #676 #659
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centenaryuniversity.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Centenary University Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $36,636 $33,400
Tuition (Out of State) $36,636 $33,400
Room & Board $12,552 $12,550
Avg Net Price $22,838 $18,319
Avg Grant Aid $28,415 $29,599
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Centenary University Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,294 2,547
Admitted 1,251 1,979
Acceptance Rate 96.7% 77.7%
Enrolled % 14.5% 15.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.64
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/22 20/25
SAT Range 990/1170 1010/1186
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

Academics

 Centenary University Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 Centenary University Catawba College
Graduation Rate 49% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,600 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $263 $258

Diversity

 Centenary University Catawba College
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 27% 4%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 69%
% Black 11% 19%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 17% 0%

Students

 Centenary University Catawba College
% In-State 78% 61%
% Out-of-State 22% 34%

Campus

 Centenary University Catawba 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

  • Centenary University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,453 students vs. 1,241 students)

Centenary University vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centenary University or Catawba College?

  • Centenary University is 9.7% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($36,636.00 vs. $33,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.7% higher at Centenary University than Catawba College ($36,636.00 vs. $33,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Centenary University ($18,319 vs. $22,838)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 0% lower than costs at Centenary University ($12,550 vs. $12,552)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Centenary University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 4.2% larger than aid received Centenary University ($29,599 vs. $28,415)

Centenary University vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 61 points higher than at Centenary University (929)
  • Incoming Centenary University students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Centenary University (3.23)
  • Centenary University has a higher acceptance rate (96.7%) than Catawba College (77.7%)

Centenary University vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centenary University or Catawba 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 Catawba College and Centenary University.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Centenary University (54% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Centenary University earn on average $7,600 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Centenary University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,500)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Centenary University graduates. ($258 vs. $263)
  • More Centenary University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 60%)

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