The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Dayton

The Catholic University of America and the University of Dayton, 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 (73%) compared to the University of Dayton's 70%. While both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, The Catholic University of America excels in theology and religious studies, while the University of Dayton is renowned for its engineering and business programs. The student body demographics also vary, with The Catholic University of America having a slightly larger undergraduate population and a higher percentage of male students. In terms of graduation rates, The Catholic University of America holds a slight edge with a 84% graduation rate compared to the University of Dayton's 82%. 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.
The Catholic University of America logo

The Catholic University of America

University of Dayton logo

University of Dayton

Overview

Location Washington, District of Columbia Dayton, Ohio
Campus setting City: Large City: Midsize
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 88.0% 88.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 86.0% 80.6%
Application fees $60
SAT range N/A 1130 - 1330
ACT range N/A 23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 54.0%
Total number of applicants 5,895 17,262
Total number of admissions given out 5,070 13,919
Admitted students who chose to enroll 691 2,126
Yield rate 13.6% 15.3%
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 $74,126 $62,510
Average net price $35,520 $29,933
Tuition $51,040 $44,890
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,220

Meal plan: $6,800
Room/dormitory: $8,940

Meal plan: $5,930
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Other alternative tuition plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $31,915
96.0%
Average amount $32,287
Students receiving federal student loan 56.0%
Average amount $5,308
56.0%
Average amount $8,254
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $22,405
9.0%
Average amount $16,267

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,929
Men 44.1% Women 55.9%
8,637
Men 52.3% Women 47.7%
Graduate students 2,130
Men 47.2% Women 52.8%
3,334
Men 50.7% Women 49.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 44.0%
International students 8.3% 11.0%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 1,985 6,875
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Ohio Illinois Pennsylvania New York Michigan

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Legal Profession
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Education
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 73.7% 79.8%
Dropout rate 26.2% 19.8%
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
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,637
  • Year 2: $72,274
  • Year 3: $78,310
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,339
  • Year 2: $68,688
  • Year 3: $75,982
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,024
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $72,578
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,941
  • Year 2: $72,340
  • Year 3: $72,493
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,126
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $71,557
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,507
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $70,236
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,946
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $69,399
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,857
  • Year 2: $62,707
  • Year 3: $68,241
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,059
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $66,263
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,446
  • Year 2: $56,505
  • Year 3: $65,148

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