SAU vs. Catawba College

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

SAU Catawba College
Location Spring Arbor, MI Salisbury, NC
Setting Small Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,390 1,241
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #553 #659
Religious Affiliation Free Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arbor.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SAU Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $31,940 $33,400
Tuition (Out of State) $31,940 $33,400
Room & Board $10,960 $12,550
Avg Net Price $21,720 $18,319
Avg Grant Aid $21,522 $29,599
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

SAU Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,145 2,547
Admitted 1,174 1,979
Acceptance Rate 37.3% 77.7%
Enrolled % 17.5% 15.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 17/25 20/25
SAT Range 935/1165 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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

SAU Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

SAU Catawba College
Graduation Rate 56% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,600 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,043 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $258

Diversity

SAU Catawba College
% Men 7% 3%
% Women 48% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 69%
% Black 10% 19%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

SAU Catawba College
% In-State 82% 61%
% Out-of-State 15% 34%

Campus

SAU 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

  • Spring Arbor University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (2,390 students vs. 1,241 students)

SAU vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAU or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 4.6% more expensive to attend than SAU for in-state tuition ($33,400.00 vs. $31,940.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.6% higher at Catawba College than Spring Arbor University ($33,400.00 vs. $31,940.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than SAU ($18,319 vs. $21,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spring Arbor University are 14.5% lower than costs at Catawba College ($10,960 vs. $12,550)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Spring Arbor University as Catawba College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 37.5% larger than aid received Spring Arbor University ($29,599 vs. $21,522)

SAU vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Spring Arbor University (1073) is 83 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming SAU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at SAU (3.61)
  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (77.7%) than SAU (37.3%)

SAU vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAU 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 SAU.

  • The graduation rate at SAU is higher than Catawba College (56% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Spring Arbor University earn on average $600 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($42,600 vs. $42,000)
  • Spring Arbor University students graduate with a $957 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($24,043 vs. $25,000)
  • SAU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 58%)

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