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Catawba College

Catawba College is a private campus in suburban Salisbury, NC. International students are a visible presence at Catawba College — 7% of its 1,235 undergraduates come from outside the U.S.

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What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$15,892

family income
under $30k

$13,838

$30–48k

$14,971

$48–75k

$19,531

$75–110k

$25,348

over $110k

These figures don't always rise with income — aid formulas can make a higher bracket cheaper.

Average net price

$17,8792023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Catawba College rose from $15,854 (2008) to $17,879 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$15,854
2009	$16,086
2010	$21,631
2011	$24,934
2012	$27,115
2013	$18,706
2014	$20,311
2015	$19,046
2016	$19,807
2017	$18,569
2018	$18,185
2019	$18,702
2020	$18,861
2021	$18,677
2022	$18,210
2023	$17,879

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$49,5162024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Catawba College rose from $32,621 (2009) to $49,516 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$32,621
2010	$33,885
2011	$36,893
2012	$36,561
2013	$37,818
2014	$39,042
2015	$40,475
2016	$42,163
2017	$42,897
2018	$43,101
2019	$44,396
2020	$44,235
2021	$45,711
2022	$46,573
2023	$47,866
2024	$49,516

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2001	$14,240
2002	$15,300
2003	$16,400
2004	$17,600
2005	$18,750
2006	$19,690
2007	$20,836
2008	$22,290
2013	$26,820
2014	$27,360
2015	$28,730
2016	$29,333
2017	$29,920
2018	$30,520
2019	$30,520
2020	$31,436
2021	$32,380
2022	$32,868
2023	$33,400

IPEDS Published price 2001–02 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Reported tuition is $34,300 before grants and other attendance costs. At Catawba College, aid and other costs change the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Enrollment sits at 1,235 — Catawba College is one of the smaller campuses on this site.

47.3% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Catawba College within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

47.3%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Catawba College has wandered from Fall 1991 to Fall 2018 entering cohorts — up to 59.8% at the peak — but ends near where it began, at 47.3%.

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	50.2%
1992 cohort	46.8%
1993 cohort	47.2%
1994 cohort	51.2%
1995 cohort	46.7%
1996 cohort	44.3%
1997 cohort	42.5%
1998 cohort	39.4%
1999 cohort	45.5%
2000 cohort	40.7%
2001 cohort	42.5%
2002 cohort	40.4%
2003 cohort	54.8%
2004 cohort	56.7%
2005 cohort	53.6%
2006 cohort	50.4%
2007 cohort	52.6%
2008 cohort	51.8%
2009 cohort	46.8%
2010 cohort	52.9%
2011 cohort	43.3%
2012 cohort	46.3%
2013 cohort	50.6%
2014 cohort	55.5%
2015 cohort	59.8%
2016 cohort	56.2%
2017 cohort	52.1%
2018 cohort	47.3%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

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Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$14,250	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$14,250	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$14,500	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$15,063	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$14,928	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$14,500	$2,625
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$14,375	$3,313
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$15,125	$3,313
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$15,871	$3,313
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$16,250	$4,000
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$17,000	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$17,125	$5,095
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$18,125	$5,750
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$20,125	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$21,198	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$21,500	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$22,750	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$23,936	$7,000
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$25,000	$8,737
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$25,000	$8,689
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$24,022	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$24,238	$5,750
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$25,000	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$25,000	$5,850

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$36,912

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$43,359

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$48,793

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Catawba College admitted 2,600 of 3,457 applicants in Fall 2024. The 75.2% rate describes that application pool.

75.2%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $33,400 tuition · 2023–24 1,235 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1030–13001600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Catawba College received 3,457 applications and admitted 2,600 (75.2%), with 325 enrolling.

Catawba College reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Catawba College’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 520–650 and Math was 510–650 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1030–1300 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	520	550	650
SAT Math	510	560	650
ACT Composite	17	21	25

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

75.2%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	82.2%
Fall 2002	80%
Fall 2003	64%
Fall 2004	62.7%
Fall 2005	68%
Fall 2006	67.9%
Fall 2007	75.4%
Fall 2008	60.6%
Fall 2009	69.6%
Fall 2010	54.9%
Fall 2011	41.6%
Fall 2012	44.9%
Fall 2013	40.6%
Fall 2014	35.9%
Fall 2015	31.8%
Fall 2016	47.1%
Fall 2017	42.4%
Fall 2018	51.6%
Fall 2019	49.5%
Fall 2020	52.1%
Fall 2021	56.1%
Fall 2022	67.1%
Fall 2023	77.7%
Fall 2024	75.2%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1030–1300Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	890	1100
Fall 2002	910	1110
Fall 2003	950	1130
Fall 2004	930	1140
Fall 2005	940	1130
Fall 2006	940	1150
Fall 2007	920	1090
Fall 2008	950	1170
Fall 2009	910	1130
Fall 2010	870	1100
Fall 2011	800	1070
Fall 2012	880	1090
Fall 2013	870	1100
Fall 2015	870	1110
Fall 2016	850	1090
Fall 2017	930	1100
Fall 2018	910	1140
Fall 2019	930	1120
Fall 2020	940	1140
Fall 2021	990	1150
Fall 2022	1000	1210
Fall 2023	1010	1186
Fall 2024	1030	1300

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

17–25Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2002	19	23
Fall 2004	19	23
Fall 2006	19	26
Fall 2007	18	25
Fall 2008	19	25
Fall 2009	18	25
Fall 2012	18	25
Fall 2015	18	24
Fall 2016	18	24
Fall 2017	18	23
Fall 2018	18	24
Fall 2019	17	23
Fall 2020	17	22
Fall 2021	18	26
Fall 2022	18	27
Fall 2023	20	25
Fall 2024	17	25

IPEDS Fall 2002–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

1,235Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Catawba College fell from 1,514 (Fall 2002) to 1,235 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	1,514
Fall 2003	1,452
Fall 2004	1,365
Fall 2005	1,256
Fall 2006	1,235
Fall 2007	1,291
Fall 2008	1,225
Fall 2009	1,324
Fall 2010	1,244
Fall 2011	1,234
Fall 2012	1,297
Fall 2013	1,273
Fall 2014	1,274
Fall 2015	1,254
Fall 2016	1,276
Fall 2017	1,321
Fall 2018	1,283
Fall 2019	1,300
Fall 2020	1,280
Fall 2021	1,132
Fall 2022	1,076
Fall 2023	1,127
Fall 2024	1,235

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

77%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Catawba College has held near 77% from Fall 2003 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2003 cohort	74%
Fall 2004 cohort	75%
Fall 2005 cohort	71%
Fall 2006 cohort	71%
Fall 2007 cohort	70%
Fall 2008 cohort	70%
Fall 2009 cohort	67%
Fall 2010 cohort	71%
Fall 2011 cohort	67%
Fall 2012 cohort	70%
Fall 2013 cohort	73%
Fall 2014 cohort	74%
Fall 2015 cohort	72%
Fall 2016 cohort	72%
Fall 2017 cohort	71%
Fall 2018 cohort	72%
Fall 2019 cohort	72%
Fall 2020 cohort	68%
Fall 2021 cohort	65%
Fall 2022 cohort	73%
Fall 2023 cohort	77%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2003–2023

More about Catawba College

41% of Catawba College's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Catawba College as a primarily residential campus of 1,235 undergraduates — and 77.3% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Catawba College's SAT section-percentile sums are 1030–1300 — their midpoint is near the NC four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Catawba College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Catawba College compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Catawba College75.2%

North Carolina median74.9%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Catawba College$34,300

North Carolina median$19,500

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Catawba College's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Catawba College$48,793

North Carolina median$45,873

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Catawba College, North Carolina and national reference values
Metric & basis	Catawba College	North Carolina median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	75.2%	74.9%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$34,300	$19,500	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$48,793	$45,873	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Catawba College, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Catawba College federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 7 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$60,718
Biology, General	$52,583
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	$48,982
Communication and Media Studies	$48,181
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$44,296
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	$42,505
Music	$39,633

These 7 fields listed for Catawba College measure earnings after completion. The $48,793 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 29 additional Catawba College fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Catawba College report?

Catawba College's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1030–1300 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Catawba College's acceptance rate?

75.2% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 2,600 admitted from 3,457 applicants.

How much does Catawba College cost?

At Catawba College, tuition is $34,300. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Catawba College report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $48,793. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in North Carolina

Chowan University — 68.8% admitted
Belmont Abbey College — 74.7% admitted
Elizabeth City State University — 64.2% admitted
Elon University — 66.3% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.