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Salisbury, NC · Hickory, NC
| Catawba College | Lenoir-Rhyne University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $17,879/yr | $20,689/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $13,618/yr | $18,669/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $25,000 | $26,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $17,495/yr | $18,768/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $15,412/yr | $17,209/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $17,440/yr | $21,878/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $24,420/yr | $25,866/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $265/mo | $276/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $13,565/yr | $13,400/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $11,440/yr | $13,400/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,400/yr | $1,360/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,190/yr | $3,250/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $49,516/yr | $44,621/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $34,300/yr | $31,900/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $34,300/yr | $31,900/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 41% | 39% |
| Students taking federal loans | 53% | 56% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 75% | 85% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1030–1300 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1096 | No data reported |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 17–25 | No data reported |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 15–24 · Math 16–24 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 2,547 | 6,299 |
| Students accepted | 1,979 | 5,082 |
| Students who enrolled | 308 | 377 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 16% | 7.4% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 13% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 24% | No data reported |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 47% | 48% |
| Freshmen who come back | 77% | 76% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $48,793/yr | $45,543/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $33,908–$66,494 | $32,368–$65,480 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 57% | 51% |
| White students graduating | 55% | 53% |
| Black students graduating | 26% | 34% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 55% | 46% |
| Asian students graduating | 0% | 50% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $36,912/yr | $44,799/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 72% | 73% |
| Graduate on time | 47% | 35% |
| Pell students who graduate | 39% | 38% |
| First-gen students who finish | 53% | 44% |
| Low-income students who finish | 53% | 39% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $43,359/yr | $48,452/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 23% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 18% · Education 13% | Business, Management & Marketing 24% · Parks, Recreation & Fitness 22% · Health Professions 14% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 23% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 24% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 18% of degrees | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 22% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Education — 13% of degrees | Health Professions — 14% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degrees | Education — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Natural Resources & Conservation — 8% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $70,522/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $100,594/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 11% | 11% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,235 | 1,359 |
| Students per professor | 13 : 1 | 15 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 114 | 784 |
| Average professor pay | $8,682/mo | $7,780/mo |
| Full-time professors | 81% | 100% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $48,930 | $44,652 |
| Setting | Suburb (large) | City (small) |
| Location | Salisbury, NC | Hickory, NC |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1851 | 1891 |
| Public or private | Private (nonprofit) | Private (nonprofit) |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 7% | 7.2% |
| Men | 48% | 47% |
| Women | 52% | 53% |
| White students | 54% | 61% |
| Black students | 21% | 14% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 10% | 8.8% |
| Asian students | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Two or more races | 4.4% | 4.1% |
| Other / not reported | 2.8% | 3.2% |
| Special type | None | Religiously affiliated |
| First-generation students | 30% | 32% |
| Part-time students | 7.1% | 4.3% |
| Students age 25+ | 10% | 5.8% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $12,087/yr | $10,703/yr |
| Endowment | $386.3M | $136.1M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 688 | 1,017 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $7,350/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $5,200/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 21 meals/week | 19 meals/week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Religious affiliation | No data reported | Evangelical Lutheran Church |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division II with football | NCAA Division II with football |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 20 | 19 |
| Student athletes | 652 | 705 |
| Athletic scholarships | $6.6M | $5.9M |
| Athletics budget | $11.4M | $12.9M |
| Athletics revenue | $11.6M | $12.9M |
| Recruiting spend | $18,129 | $88,517 |
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.