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Compare Catawba College vs Gardner-Webb University

Salisbury, NC · Boiling Springs, NC

Catawba CollegeGardner-Webb University
Cost
Price after aid (average)$17,879/yr$17,674/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$13,618/yr$15,304/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$25,000$24,222
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$17,495/yr$14,594/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$15,412/yr$13,769/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$17,440/yr$15,946/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$24,420/yr$22,438/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$265/mo$257/mo
Room & board (on campus)$13,565/yr$11,410/yr
Room & board (off campus)$11,440/yr$7,500/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,400/yr$1,000/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$4,190/yr$2,500/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$49,516/yr$47,091/yr
Tuition (in-state)$34,300/yr$34,760/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$34,300/yr$34,760/yr
Students with Pell Grants41%37%
Students taking federal loans53%47%
Getting in
Students who get accepted75%77%
SAT range (middle 50%)1030–1300975–1198
SAT average10961113
ACT range (middle 50%)17–2519–25
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 15–24 · Math 16–24English 19–25 · Math 17–25
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received2,5474,670
Students accepted1,9794,064
Students who enrolled308411
Accepted students who enroll16%10%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores13%13%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores24%23%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayRequiredRequired
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Required
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Required
College-prep programRequiredRequired
Demonstrated competenciesOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Work experienceOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate47%55%
Freshmen who come back77%55%
Typical earnings 10 years in$48,793/yr$48,039/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$33,908–$66,494$33,281–$70,715
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)57%55%
White students graduating55%63%
Black students graduating26%36%
Hispanic students graduating55%58%
Asian students graduating0%0%
Typical earnings 6 years in$36,912/yr$43,996/yr
Earn more than a HS grad72%71%
Graduate on time47%48%
Pell students who graduate39%48%
First-gen students who finish53%59%
Low-income students who finish53%53%
Students who transfer outNo data reported36%
Typical earnings 8 years in$43,359/yr$46,747/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 23% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 18% · Education 13%Health Professions 20% · Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Education 13%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 23% of degreesHealth Professions — 20% of degrees
2nd most popular programParks, Recreation & Fitness — 18% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees
3rd most popular programEducation — 13% of degreesEducation — 13% of degrees
4th most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degreesPsychology — 12% of degrees
5th most popular programNatural Resources & Conservation — 8% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $70,522/yrRegistered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $111,589/yr
Degrees in STEM11%14%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment1,2351,856
Students per professor13 : 112 : 1
Graduate students1141,243
Average professor pay$8,682/mo$7,375/mo
Full-time professors81%99%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited bySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Median family income$48,930$36,486
SettingSuburb (large)Rural (distant)
LocationSalisbury, NCBoiling Springs, NC
RegionSoutheastSoutheast
Founded18511905
Public or privatePrivate (nonprofit)Private (nonprofit)
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationBaccalaureate Colleges: Diverse FieldsDoctoral/Professional Universities
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students7%0.1%
Men48%38%
Women52%62%
White students54%49%
Black students21%16%
Hispanic or Latino students10%4%
Asian students1.2%0.9%
Two or more races4.4%2.5%
Other / not reported2.8%27%
Special typeNoneReligiously affiliated
First-generation students30%35%
Part-time students7.1%12%
Students age 25+10%25%
Spent on teaching per student$12,087/yr$8,808/yr
Endowment$386.3M$79.2M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing6881,368
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$7,350/yr$5,410/yr
Meal plan charge$5,200/yr$5,360/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per week21 meals/week21 meals/week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Religious affiliationNo data reportedSouthern Baptist
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCNoYes — Army
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoYes
Credit for life experienceNoNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationNoNo
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division II with footballNCAA Division I-FCS
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams2022
Student athletes652505
Athletic scholarships$6.6M$9.5M
Athletics budget$11.4M$17.7M
Athletics revenue$11.6M$17.7M
Recruiting spend$18,129$190,107

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.