The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs John Paul the Great Catholic University

The Catholic University of America and John Paul the Great Catholic University, both rooted in the Catholic faith, offer distinct educational experiences. The Catholic University of America, located in Washington, D.C., boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, providing a diverse and vibrant campus community. John Paul the Great Catholic University, situated in San Diego, California, offers a more intimate learning environment with smaller class sizes. While both universities excel in various academic disciplines, The Catholic University of America is renowned for its theology and philosophy programs, while John Paul the Great Catholic University shines in nursing and business. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details, including graduation rates, popular majors, and student demographics, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
The Catholic University of America logo

The Catholic University of America

John Paul the Great Catholic University logo

John Paul the Great Catholic University

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia Escondido, California
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 88.0% 71.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.0% 78.9%
Application fees $60 $50
SAT range N/A 1068 - 1288
ACT range N/A 19 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 26.0%
Students submitting ACT score 14.0%
Total number of applicants 5,895 279
Total number of admissions given out 5,070 220
Admitted students who chose to enroll 691 112
Yield rate 13.6% 50.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $74,126 $47,743
Average net price $35,520 $28,787
Tuition $51,040 $27,000
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,220

Meal plan: $6,800
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $31,915
100.0%
Average amount $16,736
Students receiving federal student loan 56.0%
Average amount $5,308
86.0%
Average amount $5,232
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $22,405
2.0%
Average amount $5,000

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,929
Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
292
Men 50.3% Women 49.7%
Graduate students 2,130
Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 8.3% 2.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,985 229
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
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Legal Profession
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.7% 61.9%
Dropout rate 26.2% 38.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,428
  • Year 2: $25,658
  • Year 3: $28,991