What is the acceptance rate at Catawba College?

Catawba College's acceptance rate is approximately 75% (Salisbury, NC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.

What SAT score do you need for Catawba College?

Admitted students at Catawba College typically score 1030–1300 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

How much does Catawba College cost?

At Catawba College, the average net price (after aid) is about $17,879 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.

How many undergraduates attend Catawba College?

Catawba College enrolls approximately 1,235 undergraduate students.

Where is Catawba College located?

Catawba College is located in Salisbury, NC.

Catawba College: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Cost — QuantAdmit

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Catawba College

Salisbury, NCprivate nonprofitwww.catawba.edu/

Acceptance

75%

SAT 25–75

1030–1300

Avg net price

$17,879

Earnings (10 yr)

$48,793

Graduation rate

47%

Admit rate has ranged 50%–78% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.

Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.

Catawba College is a small, private liberal arts school in Salisbury, North Carolina, where 80% of students live on a 276-acre campus that balances sustainability with Southern charm. Known for its strong business, exercise science, and arts programs, Catawba offers a tight-knit community with a 75% acceptance rate and a focus on hands-on learning. Its graduates earn a median of $36,427 a year post-graduation, with over half finishing their degrees on time.

Admission requirements

Test-optional — scores considered if submitted

Required

High school transcript
Grade point average
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)

Considered (not required)

Class rank
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Demonstrated competencies

Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.

More details

Undergrad enrollment: 1,235
In-state tuition: $34,300
Out-of-state tuition: $34,300
Location: Salisbury, NC
Top Majors: Business, Exercise Science, Nursing
Campus Housing: 80% live on campus
Acceptance Rate: ~75%
5-Year Grad Rate: 54%
Median Earnings (1yr post-grad): $36,427

Outcomes & value

Median earnings (10 yr): $48,793
Value (earnings ÷ net price): 2.7×
Median debt at graduation: $25,000
Graduation rate: 47%
First-year retention: 77%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr): 58%
Pell (lower-income) share: 56%
First-generation share: 30%
Endowment / student: $312,819

Financial health

3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard

U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.

Top-earning majors

Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.

Business Administration, Management and Operations$48,198
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$34,259
Communication and Media Studies$33,993
Biology, General$26,739
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness$26,121
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

Campus & location

Campus safety

On-campus violent crimes (2024): 4
Per 1,000 students: 3.24

On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.

Climate

Pleasant days / yr: 101
Summer high: 87°F
Winter low: 36°F
Annual rain: 45.5"
Annual snow: 2.9"
Natural-hazard risk: Relatively Moderate

Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.

Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility

Research output

Institutional h-index: 39
Scholarly works: 540

Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.

Economic mobility

Mobility rate: 1.3%
Bottom → top quintile: 22%
From bottom quintile: 6%

Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.

Quick answers

What is the acceptance rate at Catawba College?: Catawba College's acceptance rate is approximately 75% (Salisbury, NC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Catawba College?: Admitted students at Catawba College typically score 1030–1300 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Catawba College cost?: At Catawba College, the average net price (after aid) is about $17,879 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Catawba College?: Catawba College enrolls approximately 1,235 undergraduate students.
Where is Catawba College located?: Catawba College is located in Salisbury, NC.

Admissions

Catawba College is somewhat selective, with an hovering around 75% (though some sources report fluctuations between 49.5% and 77.69%). since at least 2025, admitted students typically have a weighted GPA between 3.11–4.04, with middle-50% SAT scores of 1030–1300 (or 910–1110 for Critical Reading and Math subscores) and ACT scores of 17–25. The college accepts the Common Application and emphasizes , though applicants are expected to withdraw other applications upon acceptance. Advanced Placement (AP) credits are accepted.