The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Bellarmine University

The Catholic University of America and Bellarmine University, both rooted in Catholic tradition, offer distinct educational experiences. The Catholic University of America, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Bellarmine University's (68%). While Bellarmine University is known for its strong nursing program, The Catholic University of America excels in engineering and theology. The student body demographics also vary, with The Catholic University of America having a larger undergraduate population and a more diverse student body. As for graduation rates, Bellarmine University holds a slight edge with a 75% graduation rate compared to The Catholic University of America's 72%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Bellarmine University	The Catholic University of America
Overview
Location	Louisville, Kentucky	Washington, District of Columbia
Campus setting	City: Large	City: 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	77.0%	88.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Catholic	Catholic

Admission
Acceptance rate	85.5%	86.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $55	$60
SAT range	1110 - 1280	N/A
ACT range	21 - 27	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	8.0%
Students submitting ACT score	67.0%
Total number of applicants	4,228	5,895
Total number of admissions given out	3,615	5,070
Admitted students who chose to enroll	593	691
Yield rate	16.4%	13.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$61,218	$74,126
Average net price	$23,784	$35,520
Tuition	$42,970	$51,040
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,800 Meal plan: $4,620	Room/dormitory: $9,220 Meal plan: $6,800
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $34,108	96.0% Average amount $31,915
Students receiving federal student loan	58.0% Average amount $6,181	56.0% Average amount $5,308
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $11,494	9.0% Average amount $22,405

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,407 Men 37.2% Women 62.8%	2,929 Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
Graduate students	742 Men 33.8% Women 66.2%	2,130 Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	1.6%	8.3%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,123	1,985
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Indiana Ohio Illinois Missouri	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Communication and Journalism	Business Public Administration and Social Service Legal Profession Visual & Performing Arts Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	11:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome
Graduation rate	65.2%	73.7%
Dropout rate	7.8%	26.2%
Transferred out	26.4%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $90,521 Year 2: $83,915 Year 3: $91,724 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,859 Year 2: $67,240 Year 3: $75,955 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $65,854 Year 2: $67,202 Year 3: $70,625 Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $62,040 Year 2: $57,995 Year 3: $69,356 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,907 Year 2: $60,088 Year 3: $60,101 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,168 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $46,174 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,083 Year 2: $41,813 Year 3: $43,088 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,932 Year 2: $35,729 Year 3: $38,640 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $18,965 Year 2: $23,456 Year 3: $37,291 Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,409 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $36,785	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,058 Year 2: $100,690 Year 3: $108,981 Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $73,312 Year 2: $89,092 Year 3: $98,232 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,088 Year 2: $73,769 Year 3: $83,282 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $62,128 Year 2: $64,162 Year 3: $80,941 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,938 Year 2: $53,984 Year 3: $77,885 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,277 Year 2: $54,035 Year 3: $77,782 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,219 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: $77,474 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,927 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $74,919 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $71,180 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,697 Year 2: $63,377 Year 3: $66,355

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The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Bellarmine University

Bellarmine University

The Catholic University of America

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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