Eastern vs. Catawba College

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

Overview

Eastern Catawba College
Location Richmond, KY Salisbury, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 14,324 1,172
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #515
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Eastern Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $32,868
Room & Board $10,360 $11,576
Avg Net Price $10,806 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Eastern Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 3,199
Admitted 10,174 2,146
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 67.1%
Enrolled % 26.9% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/27
SAT Range 940/1185 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 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Eastern Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Eastern Catawba College
Graduation Rate 38% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $258

Diversity

Eastern Catawba College
% Men 39% 48%
% Women 61% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 69%
% Black 6% 19%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Eastern Catawba College
% In-State 91% 61%
% Out-of-State 9% 34%

Campus

Eastern 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

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 1,172 students)

Eastern vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 244.4% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65% higher at Catawba College than Eastern Kentucky University ($32,868.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than Catawba College ($10,806 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 11.7% lower than costs at Catawba College ($10,360 vs. $11,576)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Eastern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 154.3% larger than aid received Eastern Kentucky University ($26,913 vs. $10,583)

Eastern vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 38 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming Eastern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (67.1%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern 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 Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (54% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $4,100 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,305 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($23,695 vs. $25,000)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($245 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 49%)

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