Catawba College vs. Wake Forest

Should I go to Catawba College or Wake Forest University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Catawba College or Wake Forest is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Catawba College vs. Wake Forest University comparison
Catawba College Wake Forest University College 3 College 4
Catawba College Wake Forest University
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Overview

Catawba College Wake Forest
Location Salisbury, NC Winston Salem, NC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,172 8,963
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #515
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website catawba.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Catawba College Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $32,868 $61,012
Tuition (Out of State) $32,868 $61,012
Room & Board $11,576 $16,652
Avg Net Price $19,701 $26,197
Avg Grant Aid $26,913 $54,233
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 29%

Admission

Catawba College Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,199 16,857
Admitted 2,146 3,602
Acceptance Rate 67.1% 21.4%
Enrolled % 13.9% 38%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 18/27
SAT Range 1000/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Catawba College Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Catawba College Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 54% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,000 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $237

Diversity

Catawba College Wake Forest
% Men 48% 43%
% Women 52% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 72%
% Black 19% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Catawba College Wake Forest
% In-State 61% 14%
% Out-of-State 34% 77%

Campus

Catawba College Wake Forest
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Catawba College based on total student enrollment (8,963 students vs. 1,172 students)

Catawba College vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Catawba College or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 85.6% more expensive to attend than Catawba College for in-state tuition ($61,012.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.6% higher at Wake Forest than Catawba College ($61,012.00 vs. $32,868.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Catawba College than Wake Forest ($19,701 vs. $26,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Catawba College are 43.8% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($11,576 vs. $16,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Catawba College than Wake Forest University (100% vs. 29%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 101.5% larger than aid received Catawba College ($54,233 vs. $26,913)

Catawba College vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Catawba College or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or Catawba College .

  • Catawba College has a higher acceptance rate (67.1%) than Wake Forest (21.4%)

Catawba College vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Catawba College or Wake Forest? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Wake Forest and Catawba College.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Catawba College (88% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $35,200 more per year than Catawba College graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $42,000)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Catawba College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Catawba College graduates. ($237 vs. $258)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Catawba College students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 60%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/