Catawba College vs Pfeiffer University
Catawba College and Pfeiffer University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in North Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. Catawba, with an acceptance rate of 68%, boasts a diverse student body, with 44% male and 56% female students. Pfeiffer, with a slightly lower acceptance rate of 65%, has a more balanced gender ratio, with 48% male and 52% female students. While Catawba's popular majors include Business, Education, and Health Professions, Pfeiffer's strengths lie in Business, Education, and Psychology. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Catawba at 63% and Pfeiffer at 58%. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table below, highlighting key differences between these two excellent institutions.
|
![]() Catawba College |
![]() Pfeiffer University |
---|---|---|
Overview |
||
Location | Salisbury, North Carolina | Misenheimer, North Carolina |
Campus setting | Suburb: Midsize | Rural: Distant |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 68.0% | 69.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Methodism | |
|
||
Admission |
||
Acceptance rate | 56.1% | 71.8% |
Application fees | ||
SAT range | 990 - 1150 | 891 - 1165 |
ACT range | 18 - 26 | 18 - 25 |
Students submitting SAT score | 33.0% | 5.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 49.0% | 6.0% |
Total number of applicants | 2,199 | 1,335 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,234 | 958 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 264 | 189 |
Yield rate | 21.4% | 19.7% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Not required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required |
|
||
Tuition and Fees |
||
Sticker price | $46,262 | $48,254 |
Average net price | $19,276 | $19,198 |
Tuition | $32,380 | $31,160 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$6,564
Meal plan:
$4,566
|
Room/dormitory:
$6,200
Meal plan:
$6,074
|
Available payment plans |
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
98.0%
Average amount $26,327 |
100.0%
Average amount $25,674 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
63.0%
Average amount $5,262 |
80.0%
Average amount $5,318 |
Students taking out private loans |
7.0%
Average amount $11,314 |
10.0%
Average amount $9,494 |
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
Undergraduate students |
1,142
Men 47.9% Women 52.1% |
744
Men 42.3% Women 57.7% |
Graduate students |
65
Men 52.3% Women 47.7% |
378
Men 28.0% Women 72.0% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Low
|
Out-of-state students | N/A | 22.7% |
International students | 5.2% | 1.9% |
Campus local/setting | Suburb: Midsize | Rural: Distant |
Dormitory capacity | 688 | 728 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | North Carolina South Carolina Florida Virginia Texas |
|
||
Academics |
||
Popular study areas |
|
|
Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 11:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
|
||
Outcome |
||
Graduation rate | 59.8% | 34.4% |
Dropout rate | 39.5% | 29.9% |
Transferred out | N/A | 35.7% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
Security Science and Technology (Master's Degrees)
Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.





































































































































































































