Mount Saint Mary College vs. Catawba College

Should I go to Mount Saint Mary College or Catawba College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Mount Saint Mary College 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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Mount Saint Mary College vs. Catawba College comparison
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Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
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Overview

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
Location Newburgh, NY Salisbury, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,918 1,172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #573 #515
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msmc.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $36,522 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $36,522 $32,868
Room & Board $17,916 $11,576
Avg Net Price $23,439 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $25,237 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,604 3,199
Admitted 2,299 2,146
Acceptance Rate 88.3% 67.1%
Enrolled % 10.3% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/27
SAT Range 1075/1225 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

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (16%)
  • History (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
Graduation Rate 55% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
% Men 28% 48%
% Women 72% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 61% 69%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 11% 0%

Students

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
% In-State 87% 61%
% Out-of-State 13% 34%

Campus

Mount Saint Mary College Catawba College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mount Saint Mary College is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,918 students vs. 1,172 students)

Mount Saint Mary College vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mount Saint Mary College or Catawba College?

  • Mount Saint Mary College is 11.1% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($36,522.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at Mount Saint Mary College than Catawba College ($36,522.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Mount Saint Mary College ($19,701 vs. $23,439)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 54.8% lower than costs at Mount Saint Mary College ($11,576 vs. $17,916)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Mount Saint Mary College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 6.6% larger than aid received Mount Saint Mary College ($26,913 vs. $25,237)

Mount Saint Mary College vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Catawba College (990) is 8 points higher than at Mount Saint Mary College (982)
  • Incoming Mount Saint Mary College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) 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 Mount Saint Mary College (3.3)
  • Mount Saint Mary College has a higher acceptance rate (88.3%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Mount Saint Mary College vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mount Saint Mary College 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 Mount Saint Mary College.

  • The graduation rate at Mount Saint Mary College is higher than Catawba College (55% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Mount Saint Mary College earn on average $7,200 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Mount Saint Mary College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Mount Saint Mary College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Mount Saint Mary College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 60%)

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