CAU vs. Georgia Southwestern

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

CAU Georgia Southwestern
Location Atlanta, GA Americus, GA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,135 3,408
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #976 #970
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu gsw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Georgia Southwestern
Tuition (In State) $23,484 $4,064
Tuition (Out of State) $23,484 $14,786
Room & Board $12,018 $9,574
Avg Net Price $29,736 $11,779
Avg Grant Aid $11,188 $8,120
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 93%

Admission

CAU Georgia Southwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,672 2,045
Admitted 17,884 1,578
Acceptance Rate 64.6% 77.2%
Enrolled % 6% 33.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 16/21
SAT Range 880/1120 900/1130
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, 2026 Jul 21, 2026

Academics

CAU Georgia Southwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (37%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)

Outcomes

CAU Georgia Southwestern
Graduation Rate 41% 30%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $38,100
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $227

Diversity

CAU Georgia Southwestern
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 11% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 62%
% Black 84% 29%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 13% 0%

Students

CAU Georgia Southwestern
% In-State 27% 95%
% Out-of-State 72% 4%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Georgia Southwestern based on total student enrollment (4,135 students vs. 3,408 students)

CAU vs. Georgia Southwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Georgia Southwestern?

  • Clark Atlanta University is 477.9% more expensive to attend than Georgia Southwestern for in-state tuition ($23,484.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.8% higher at CAU than Georgia Southwestern State University ($23,484.00 vs. $14,786.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Georgia Southwestern State University than CAU ($11,779 vs. $29,736)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Georgia Southwestern State University are 25.5% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($9,574 vs. $12,018)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Georgia Southwestern State University than Clark Atlanta University (93% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clark Atlanta University students is 37.8% larger than aid received Georgia Southwestern State University ($11,188 vs. $8,120)

CAU vs. Georgia Southwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Georgia Southwestern State University (967) is 117 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Georgia Southwestern students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CAU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Georgia Southwestern (3.17)
  • Georgia Southwestern has a higher acceptance rate (77.2%) than CAU (64.6%)

CAU vs. Georgia Southwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU or Georgia Southwestern? 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 Georgia Southwestern and CAU.

  • The graduation rate at CAU is higher than Georgia Southwestern State University (41% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Clark Atlanta University earn on average $300 more per year than Georgia Southwestern graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $38,100)
  • Georgia Southwestern State University students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Georgia Southwestern graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($227 vs. $320)
  • More Georgia Southwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 30%)

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