OBU vs. Catawba College

Should I go to Ouachita Baptist University or Catawba College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OBU 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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Ouachita Baptist University vs. Catawba College comparison
Ouachita Baptist University Catawba College College 3 College 4
Ouachita Baptist University Catawba College
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Overview

OBU Catawba College
Location Arkadelphia, AR Salisbury, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,784 1,172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #474 #515
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website obu.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

OBU Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $30,500 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $30,500 $32,868
Room & Board $8,800 $11,576
Avg Net Price $21,677 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $22,181 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

OBU Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,063 3,199
Admitted 1,492 2,146
Acceptance Rate 72.3% 67.1%
Enrolled % 29.8% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.64
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 21/28 18/27
SAT Range 1020/1200 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

OBU Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (20%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

OBU Catawba College
Graduation Rate 63% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $258

Diversity

OBU Catawba College
% Men 41% 48%
% Women 59% 52%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 69%
% Black 7% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

OBU Catawba College
% In-State 63% 61%
% Out-of-State 35% 34%

Campus

OBU 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

  • Ouachita Baptist University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,784 students vs. 1,172 students)

OBU vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OBU or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 7.8% more expensive to attend than OBU for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $30,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.8% higher at Catawba College than Ouachita Baptist University ($32,868.00 vs. $30,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than OBU ($19,701 vs. $21,677)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ouachita Baptist University are 31.5% lower than costs at Catawba College ($8,800 vs. $11,576)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Ouachita Baptist University as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 21.3% larger than aid received Ouachita Baptist University ($26,913 vs. $22,181)

OBU vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Ouachita Baptist University (1120) is 130 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming OBU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman OBU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Catawba College (3.64)
  • OBU has a higher acceptance rate (72.3%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

OBU vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OBU 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 OBU.

  • The graduation rate at OBU is higher than Catawba College (63% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Ouachita Baptist University earn on average $1,400 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $42,000)
  • Ouachita Baptist University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • OBU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • More OBU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 60%)

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