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Catawba College
Catawba College says yes to 75.2% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $48,793 median earnings.
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Catawba College occupies suburban Salisbury, NC — a private campus quieter than a downtown one, closer to one than a rural seat. International students are a visible presence here — 7% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Business Administration, Management and Operations, where graduates median $60,718 four years out. 41% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 1,235 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 77.3% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1010 and 1186 — below the NC middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Catawba College's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Catawba College received 2,547 applications and admitted 1,979 (77.7%), with 308 enrolling.
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1010–1186 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, Catawba College's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 500 | 550 | 593 |
| SAT Math | 510 | 560 | 593 |
| ACT Composite | 20 | 23 | 25 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Catawba College compares
| Catawba College | North Carolina median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 75.2% | 75.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $34,300 | $19,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $48,793 | $45,873 | $53,781 |
Earnings data favors Catawba College: $48,793 median at year ten, versus $45,873 across North Carolina institutions.
Cost, size & completion
Tuition runs $34,300 regardless of where you're from. At Catawba College, that sticker is a starting point for aid talks — not what the median family pays.
Enrollment sits at 1,235 — Catawba College is one of the smaller campuses on this site.
47.3% graduate within six years. Roughly 53% don't — ask a Catawba College tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Catawba College
| Bachelor's program | 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 |
Median earnings for these 7 Catawba College programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $48,793 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 29 additional Catawba College programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Catawba College?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1010–1186 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 75.2% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Catawba College's acceptance rate?
77.7% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 1,979 admitted from 2,547 applicants.
How much does Catawba College cost?
At Catawba College, published tuition is $34,300 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Catawba College's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Catawba College graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $48,793 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
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: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.