KWC vs. Catawba College

Should I go to Kentucky Wesleyan College or Catawba College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KWC 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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Kentucky Wesleyan College vs. Catawba College comparison
Kentucky Wesleyan College Catawba College College 3 College 4
Kentucky Wesleyan College Catawba College
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Overview

KWC Catawba College
Location Owensboro, KY Salisbury, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 813 1,172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KWC Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $32,868
Room & Board $11,175 $11,576
Avg Net Price $20,735 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

KWC Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 3,199
Admitted 983 2,146
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 67.1%
Enrolled % 22.4% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/23 18/27
SAT Range 980/1210 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

KWC Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

KWC Catawba College
Graduation Rate 44% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $258

Diversity

KWC Catawba College
% Men 51% 48%
% Women 49% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 69%
% Black 15% 19%
% Hispanic 1% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 9% 0%

Students

KWC Catawba College
% In-State 67% 61%
% Out-of-State 32% 34%

Campus

KWC 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 KWC based on total student enrollment (1,172 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 9.4% more expensive to attend than KWC for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $30,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.4% higher at Catawba College than Kentucky Wesleyan College ($32,868.00 vs. $30,040.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than KWC ($19,701 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 3.6% lower than costs at Catawba College ($11,175 vs. $11,576)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 34.3% larger than aid received Kentucky Wesleyan College ($26,913 vs. $20,036)

KWC vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 58 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • KWC has a higher acceptance rate (68.5%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

KWC vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KWC 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 KWC.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (54% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $3,500 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $38,500)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $2,093 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($22,907 vs. $25,000)
  • KWC graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($236 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 54%)

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