MICA vs. Catawba College

Should I go to Maryland Institute College of Art or Catawba College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MICA 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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Maryland Institute College of Art vs. Catawba College comparison
Maryland Institute College of Art Catawba College College 3 College 4
Maryland Institute College of Art Catawba College
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Overview

MICA Catawba College
Location Baltimore, MD Salisbury, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,861 1,241
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #325 #659
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mica.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MICA Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $53,160 $33,400
Tuition (Out of State) $53,160 $33,400
Room & Board $19,924 $12,550
Avg Net Price $43,066 $18,319
Avg Grant Aid $28,435 $29,599
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

MICA Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,127 2,547
Admitted 2,417 1,979
Acceptance Rate 77.3% 77.7%
Enrolled % 11.5% 15.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 20/25
SAT Range 915/1220 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 Feb 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

MICA Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

MICA Catawba College
Graduation Rate 71% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

MICA Catawba College
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 21% 4%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 69%
% Black 6% 19%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 15% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

MICA Catawba College
% In-State 26% 61%
% Out-of-State 51% 34%

Campus

MICA 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

  • Maryland Institute College of Art is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,861 students vs. 1,241 students)

MICA vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MICA or Catawba College?

  • Maryland Institute College of Art is 59.2% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($53,160.00 vs. $33,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.2% higher at MICA than Catawba College ($53,160.00 vs. $33,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than MICA ($18,319 vs. $43,066)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 58.8% lower than costs at Maryland Institute College of Art ($12,550 vs. $19,924)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Maryland Institute College of Art as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 4.1% larger than aid received Maryland Institute College of Art ($29,599 vs. $28,435)

MICA vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Maryland Institute College of Art (1140) is 150 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at MICA (3.47)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than MICA (77.3%)

MICA vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MICA 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 MICA.

  • The graduation rate at MICA is higher than Catawba College (71% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $1,700 more per year than MICA graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $40,300)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than MICA graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than MICA graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More MICA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 60%)

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