CAU vs. Catawba College

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

CAU Catawba College
Location Atlanta, GA Salisbury, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,135 1,241
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #976 #659
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $23,484 $33,400
Tuition (Out of State) $23,484 $33,400
Room & Board $12,018 $12,550
Avg Net Price $29,736 $18,319
Avg Grant Aid $11,188 $29,599
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 100%

Admission

CAU Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,672 2,547
Admitted 17,884 1,979
Acceptance Rate 64.6% 77.7%
Enrolled % 6% 15.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.64
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 20/25
SAT Range 880/1120 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 Apr 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

CAU Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

CAU Catawba College
Graduation Rate 41% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $258

Diversity

CAU Catawba College
% Men 4% 3%
% Women 11% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 69%
% Black 84% 19%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 13% 0%

Students

CAU Catawba College
% In-State 27% 61%
% Out-of-State 72% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (4,135 students vs. 1,241 students)

CAU vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 42.2% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($33,400.00 vs. $23,484.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.2% higher at Catawba College than Clark Atlanta University ($33,400.00 vs. $23,484.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than CAU ($18,319 vs. $29,736)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clark Atlanta University are 4.4% lower than costs at Catawba College ($12,018 vs. $12,550)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Clark Atlanta University (100% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 164.6% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($29,599 vs. $11,188)

CAU vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 140 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Catawba College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than CAU (64.6%)

CAU vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Clark Atlanta University (54% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $3,600 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $38,400)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $6,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($258 vs. $320)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 30%)

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