Central College vs. Catawba College

Should I go to Central College or Catawba College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Central College vs. Catawba College comparison
Central College Catawba College College 3 College 4
Central College Catawba College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Central College Catawba College
Location Pella, IA Salisbury, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,169 1,172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #515
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $32,868
Room & Board $10,860 $11,576
Avg Net Price $23,303 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Central College Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 3,199
Admitted 1,561 2,146
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 67.1%
Enrolled % 22.5% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 18/27
SAT Range 1040/1218 1000/1210
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

Central College Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Central College Catawba College
Graduation Rate 63% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Central College Catawba College
% Men 52% 48%
% Women 48% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 69%
% Black 2% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Central College Catawba College
% In-State 73% 61%
% Out-of-State 26% 34%

Campus

Central College Catawba College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Catawba College is larger than than Central College based on total student enrollment (1,172 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 66% more expensive to attend than Central College for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66% higher at Catawba College than Central College ($32,868.00 vs. $19,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Central College ($19,701 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central College are 6.6% lower than costs at Catawba College ($10,860 vs. $11,576)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Central College as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 144.7% larger than aid received Central College ($26,913 vs. $10,999)

Central College vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 78 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming Central College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Central College (3.52)
  • Central College has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Central College vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College 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 Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Catawba College (63% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $6,000 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 60%)

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