Catawba College vs Piedmont University

Catawba College and Piedmont University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in North Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. Catawba, a private liberal arts college, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Piedmont's 65%. While Piedmont's student body is more diverse, with 30% of students identifying as minorities, Catawba's student body is predominantly White (78%). Both institutions offer a range of popular majors, including Business, Education, and Nursing, but Catawba excels in the liberal arts, while Piedmont emphasizes professional programs. With a higher graduation rate (68%) and a lower average net price ($24,000), Catawba may be a more affordable and attainable option for students seeking a well-rounded education. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Catawba College logo

Catawba College

Piedmont University logo

Piedmont University

Overview

Location Salisbury, North Carolina Demorest, Georgia
Campus setting Suburb: Midsize Town: 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% 76.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Protestant

Admission

Acceptance rate 56.1% 67.0%
Application fees $25
SAT range 990 - 1150 1010 - 1220
ACT range 18 - 26 21 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 33.0% 39.0%
Students submitting ACT score 49.0% 20.0%
Total number of applicants 2,199 2,124
Total number of admissions given out 1,234 1,423
Admitted students who chose to enroll 264 249
Yield rate 21.4% 17.5%
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 $42,474
Average net price $19,276 $19,803
Tuition $32,380 $28,120
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,564

Meal plan: $4,566
Room/dormitory: $6,160

Meal plan: $5,040
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $26,327
100.0%
Average amount $22,519
Students receiving federal student loan 63.0%
Average amount $5,262
60.0%
Average amount $5,735
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $11,314
11.0%
Average amount $9,977

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,142
Men 47.9% Women 52.1%
1,255
Men 33.1% Women 66.9%
Graduate students 65
Men 52.3% Women 47.7%
805
Men 20.0% Women 80.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 14.2%
International students 5.2% 0.6%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Midsize Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 688 847
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Georgia Florida New York Tennessee Connecticut

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 9:1
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% 48.0%
Dropout rate 39.5% 51.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,918
  • Year 2: $48,198
  • Year 3: $55,370
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,677
  • Year 2: $34,259
  • Year 3: $35,554
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,810
  • Year 2: $26,739
  • Year 3: $32,518
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,672
  • Year 2: $26,121
  • Year 3: $30,810
Music (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $16,419
  • Year 2: $22,482
  • Year 3: $29,367
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,770
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $23,693
  • Year 3: N/A
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,349
  • Year 2: $60,481
  • Year 3: $62,672
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,786
  • Year 2: $57,047
  • Year 3: $59,586
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,903
  • Year 2: $47,192
  • Year 3: $51,130
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,807
  • Year 2: $41,342
  • Year 3: $46,497
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,809
  • Year 2: $39,648
  • Year 3: $41,108
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,396
  • Year 2: $40,140
  • Year 3: $38,511
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,200
  • Year 2: $33,459
  • Year 3: $37,207
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,027
  • Year 2: $35,249
  • Year 3: $37,185
Curriculum and Instruction (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,943
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $72,134
  • Year 3: N/A

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