Piedmont College vs. Catawba College

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

Piedmont College Catawba College
Location Demorest, GA Salisbury, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,843 1,172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #515
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $32,868
Room & Board $11,562 $11,576
Avg Net Price $18,792 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Piedmont College Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 3,199
Admitted 1,500 2,146
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 67.1%
Enrolled % 20.1% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/27
SAT Range 990/1200 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 Jul 15, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College Catawba College
Graduation Rate 46% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $258

Diversity

Piedmont College Catawba College
% Men 28% 48%
% Women 72% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 9% 19%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 10% 0%

Students

Piedmont College Catawba College
% In-State 85% 61%
% Out-of-State 14% 34%

Campus

Piedmont College 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

  • Piedmont College is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,843 students vs. 1,172 students)

Piedmont College vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 13.5% more expensive to attend than Piedmont College for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $28,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.5% higher at Catawba College than Piedmont College ($32,868.00 vs. $28,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Piedmont College than Catawba College ($18,792 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont College are 0.1% lower than costs at Catawba College ($11,562 vs. $11,576)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 11.8% larger than aid received Piedmont College ($26,913 vs. $24,065)

Piedmont College vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Piedmont College (995) is 5 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming Piedmont College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Piedmont College (3.54)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (67.1%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont 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 Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Piedmont College (54% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $1,000 more per year than Piedmont College graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $41,000)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $1,264 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($23,736 vs. $25,000)
  • Piedmont College 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 Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 44%)

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