WKU vs. Catawba College

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

WKU Catawba College
Location Bowling Green, KY Salisbury, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,493 1,172
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #875 #515
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wku.edu catawba.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WKU Catawba College
Tuition (In State) $11,112 $32,868
Tuition (Out of State) $27,000 $32,868
Room & Board $11,072 $11,576
Avg Net Price $12,625 $19,701
Avg Grant Aid $10,260 $26,913
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WKU Catawba College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,505 3,199
Admitted 7,276 2,146
Acceptance Rate 96.9% 67.1%
Enrolled % 37.9% 13.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/25 18/27
SAT Range 980/1170 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 1, 2025 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

WKU Catawba College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

WKU Catawba College
Graduation Rate 50% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,000
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $250 $258

Diversity

WKU Catawba College
% Men 37% 48%
% Women 63% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 69%
% Black 10% 19%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WKU Catawba College
% In-State 70% 61%
% Out-of-State 29% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 1,172 students)

WKU vs. Catawba College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WKU or Catawba College?

  • Catawba College is 195.8% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($32,868.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.7% higher at Catawba College than Western Kentucky University ($32,868.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Kentucky University than Catawba College ($12,625 vs. $19,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Kentucky University are 4.6% lower than costs at Catawba College ($11,072 vs. $11,576)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Catawba College students is 162.3% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($26,913 vs. $10,260)

WKU vs. Catawba College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Kentucky University (1047) is 57 points higher than at Catawba College (990)
  • Incoming WKU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Catawba College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Catawba College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at WKU (3.42)
  • WKU has a higher acceptance rate (96.9%) than Catawba College (67.1%)

WKU vs. Catawba College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WKU 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 WKU.

  • The graduation rate at Catawba College is higher than Western Kentucky University (54% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Catawba College earn on average $4,900 more per year than WKU graduates after ten years. ($42,000 vs. $37,100)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($24,250 vs. $25,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($250 vs. $258)
  • More Catawba College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 47%)

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