Catawba College vs Warren Wilson College

Catawba College and Warren Wilson College, both located in North Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences for prospective students. Catawba, a private liberal arts college, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Warren Wilson's more selective admissions (58%). While Catawba's student body is predominantly White (78%), Warren Wilson fosters a diverse community with a significant proportion of Native American students (10%). Both institutions excel in different areas: Catawba is known for its strong nursing program, while Warren Wilson emphasizes experiential learning through its work-study program. With Catawba's higher graduation rate (63%) and Warren Wilson's lower cost of attendance, the choice between these two colleges hinges on individual preferences and priorities. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal goals.

	Catawba College	Warren Wilson College
Overview
Location	Salisbury, North Carolina	Swannanoa, North Carolina
Campus setting	Suburb: Midsize	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	68.0%	66.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	56.1%	77.4%
Application fees		$75
SAT range	990 - 1150	N/A
ACT range	18 - 26	24 - 30
Students submitting SAT score	33.0%
Students submitting ACT score	49.0%	28.0%
Total number of applicants	2,199	1,146
Total number of admissions given out	1,234	887
Admitted students who chose to enroll	264	225
Yield rate	21.4%	25.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$46,262	$56,080
Average net price	$19,276	$25,611
Tuition	$32,380	$37,500
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,564 Meal plan: $4,566	$11,750
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $26,327	99.0% Average amount $28,389
Students receiving federal student loan	63.0% Average amount $5,262	71.0% Average amount $4,976
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $11,314	4.0% Average amount $13,032

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,142 Men 47.9% Women 52.1%	723 Men 33.9% Women 66.1%
Graduate students	65 Men 52.3% Women 47.7%	80 Men 32.5% Women 67.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	5.2%	3.2%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Midsize	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	688	825
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Education Visual & Performing Arts Communication and Journalism	English Language and Literature Social Sciences Visual & Performing Arts Psychology History
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	9:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	59.8%	39.0%
Dropout rate	39.5%	61.0%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,918 Year 2: $48,198 Year 3: $55,370 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,677 Year 2: $34,259 Year 3: $35,554 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,810 Year 2: $26,739 Year 3: $32,518 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,672 Year 2: $26,121 Year 3: $30,810 Music (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $16,419 Year 2: $22,482 Year 3: $29,367 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,770 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $23,693 Year 3: N/A	Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,465 Year 2: $20,530 Year 3: $25,616 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $17,717 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $18,188 Year 2: $17,624 Year 3: N/A Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $18,401 Year 3: N/A Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $15,469 Year 2: $12,356 Year 3: N/A Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: N/A History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $26,739 Year 3: N/A

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