Southwestern College vs. Catawba College

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Southwestern College vs. Catawba College comparison
Southwestern College Catawba College College 3 College 4
Catawba College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Southwestern College Catawba College
Location Winfield, KS Salisbury, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,174 1,172
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #453 #515
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sckans.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Southwestern College Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $36,500 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $36,500 $32,868
Room & Board $9,380 $11,576
Avg Net Price $27,003 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $26,047 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Southwestern College Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,240 3,199
Admitted 870 2,146
Acceptance Rate 70.2% 67.1%
Enrolled % 23.3% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 17/22 18/27
SAT Range 900/1220 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 22, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Southwestern College Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (4%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Southwestern College Catawba College
Graduation Rate 57% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,100 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $266 $258

Diversity

Southwestern College Catawba College
% Men 65% 48%
% Women 35% 52%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 54% 69%
% Black 12% 19%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 5% 3%
% Unknown Race 15% 0%

Students

Southwestern College Catawba College
% In-State 36% 61%
% Out-of-State 61% 34%

Campus

Southwestern 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

  • Southwestern College is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (1,174 students vs. 1,172 students)

Southwestern College vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

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

  • Southwestern College is 11.1% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($36,500.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at Southwestern College than Catawba College ($36,500.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Southwestern College ($19,701 vs. $27,003)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern College are 23.4% lower than costs at Catawba College ($9,380 vs. $11,576)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Southwestern College as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 3.3% larger than aid received Southwestern College ($26,913 vs. $26,047)

Southwestern College vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Southwestern College (999) is 9 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming Southwestern College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Southwestern College (3.33)
  • Southwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (70.2%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

Southwestern College vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Southwestern 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 Southwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at Southwestern College is higher than Catawba College (57% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Southwestern College earn on average $11,100 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($53,100 vs. $42,000)
  • Catawba College students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwestern College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $25,750)
  • Catawba College graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Southwestern College graduates. ($258 vs. $266)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwestern College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 57%)

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