CAU vs. Piedmont College

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

CAU Piedmont College
Location Atlanta, GA Demorest, GA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,135 1,840
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #976 #718
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Church of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu piedmont.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Piedmont College
Tuition (In State) $23,484 $30,200
Tuition (Out of State) $23,484 $30,200
Room & Board $12,018 $12,300
Avg Net Price $29,736 $21,599
Avg Grant Aid $11,188 $23,701
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 100%

Admission

CAU Piedmont College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 27,672 2,066
Admitted 17,884 1,918
Acceptance Rate 64.6% 92.8%
Enrolled % 6% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.54
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 18/24
SAT Range 880/1120 990/1170
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 15, 2026

Academics

CAU Piedmont 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%)
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)

Outcomes

CAU Piedmont College
Graduation Rate 41% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $41,000
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $23,736
Median Loan Payment $320 $245

Diversity

CAU Piedmont College
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 11% 26%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 71%
% Black 84% 9%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 13% 10%

Students

CAU Piedmont College
% In-State 27% 85%
% Out-of-State 72% 14%

Campus

CAU Piedmont College
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 Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (4,135 students vs. 1,840 students)

CAU vs. Piedmont College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Piedmont College?

  • Piedmont College is 28.6% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($30,200.00 vs. $23,484.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.6% higher at Piedmont College than Clark Atlanta University ($30,200.00 vs. $23,484.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Piedmont College than CAU ($21,599 vs. $29,736)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clark Atlanta University are 2.3% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($12,018 vs. $12,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than Clark Atlanta University (100% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 111.8% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($23,701 vs. $11,188)

CAU vs. Piedmont College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Piedmont College (995) is 145 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Piedmont College students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Piedmont College has a higher acceptance rate (92.8%) than CAU (64.6%)

CAU vs. Piedmont College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU or Piedmont 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 Piedmont College and CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than Clark Atlanta University (46% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $2,600 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $38,400)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $7,264 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($23,736 vs. $31,000)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($245 vs. $320)
  • More Piedmont College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 30%)

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