Catawba College

Salisbury, NC · SoutheastQuad's selectivityAccessible

Known forGenerous aidTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

8 in 10 applicants admitted

Catawba admits about 8 in 10 applicants (75%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 54% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

75%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

3,457

Admitted

2,600

Yield

13%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1030–1300

8001600

ACT middle 50%

17–25

1236

Applications −6% since fall 2014 · admit rate 36% → 75%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,235 undergrads, where 41% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

1.2K

undergrads · larger than 43% of colleges

Diversity index

0.65

Pell Grant

41%

above the median

First generation

30%

below the median

Large suburbNCAA D-II · South Atlantic ConferenceStudy abroad

More diverse · index 0.48 → 0.65 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (19% of graduates). 13 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 50% of colleges. 81% of faculty are full-time. Spends $12,087 a year on instruction per student.

13 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 50% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $19,991 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $4.3K less than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $18,447 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $50,799.

61%

$20K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $4.3K below the national median

Full price: $50,799 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid: 35% · avg $29K; of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)

Aid generosity

Very generous

grants cover 61% of full price

Federal loans

53%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office

Cost falling · −27% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $48,793 ten years after enrolling, more than at 35% of colleges; 58% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.6 years of that salary.

58%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$48.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25K

≈ $265/month for 10 years

Retention

77%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 52% → 47% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 5% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 27%, because grants grew faster. Applications fell 6% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 36% to 75%.

Cost
Falling
−27% after inflation
Applications
Steady
−6%
Selectivity
Less selective
admit rate 36% → 75%
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.48 → 0.65

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Faulkner University

73% admit · 1.5K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast

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Kansas Wesleyan University

72% admit · 956 undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso private

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University of Mount Olive

76% admit · 1.8K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso SoutheastAlso private

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Manchester University

71% admit · 936 undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso private

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
Catawba College (2026)
Catawba College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 198215 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything