Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 75.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 32/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Catawba College is a small private liberal arts institution in Salisbury, NC, enrolling about 1,235 students. With sticker tuition of $34,300 and a net price of roughly $17,879, the headline cost is softened by institutional aid, particularly for lower-income families who pay as little as $13,618 on average. Despite this accessibility, Catawba's overall ROI score of 32 - classified as Below Benchmark - reflects structural challenges: fewer than half of entering students (47.3%) graduate, average earnings six years out sit at $31,900, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78 is uncomfortably high. The payback period is 15.3 years for the average borrower. These numbers don't condemn the Catawba experience, but they do demand that prospective students enter with clear program choices. Nursing graduates exit earning $70,522 in year one, a compelling outlier. Business and teacher education sit in moderate territory. Communication, Kinesiology, Natural Resources, and Music all show ratios above 0.8, meaning graduates carry debt loads that will take the better part of a decade to outrun. The college's 41% Pell Grant rate signals a substantial population of cost-sensitive students, making program-level ROI awareness especially important.
How Catawba College scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score32/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period15.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Catawba College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $34,300/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $34,300/yr |
| Average net price | $17,879/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $71,516 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,793 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 15.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 47.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,235 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $34,300/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,879/year, or roughly $71,516 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $13,618/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,420/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,900) and comes to 0.78, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $13,618 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,495 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,412 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,440 |
| $110,001+ | $24,420 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from households earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of $13,618 - well below the $17,879 overall average. At that cost, the four-year investment totals roughly $54,000. With average six-year earnings of $31,900, the payback period remains long (over 10 years at realistic repayment rates), but nursing and business graduates significantly outperform this median. Pell-eligible students should stack federal aid, pursue TEACH Grant eligibility if entering education, and choose programs with earnings above $40,000 at one year.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Families in the $48,001 - $75,000 band pay approximately $15,412 net - one of Catawba's better aid brackets. The four-year cost approaches $62,000 and median debt is $25,000. The 15.3-year payback period for average graduates is a serious concern at this income tier, where parents may be co-borrowing. Choosing nursing, business, or teacher education (with forgiveness benefits) materially changes the calculus.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $24,420 net - only modest savings from the $34,300 sticker. For high-income families, Catawba's value proposition relies entirely on program selection. Nursing, which produces $70,000-plus first-year earnings, is the only program with clear positive ROI at this price point.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at Catawba College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $60,718 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $44,296 | D |
| Teacher Education | $48,982 | C+ |
| Natural Resources Conservation | $42,505 | D |
| Biology | $52,583 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $70,522 | B |
| Communication and Media Studies | $48,181 | D |
| Music | $39,633 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Catawba's standout ROI performer. Graduates earn $70,522 at the one-year mark against median debt of $27,250, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 and an ROI grade of B. With only 11 graduates reported, cohort size is small and scores may fluctuate, but the direction is clear: nursing aligns cost with earning power better than any other Catawba program. Prospective nursing students should confirm current NCLEX pass rates and clinical placement capacity before enrolling.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is the most popular program by graduate count (49 reported). One-year median earnings of $46,068 rise to $60,718 by year four, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 and a C grade. The trajectory is positive, but graduates begin repayment facing a ratio that consumes over half of annual income. Students focusing on finance or accounting concentrations, or who plan MBAs, may improve on these figures.
Teacher Education
Median debt of $20,655 gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, an ROI grade of C+. For students committed to teaching in the Carolinas, the relatively moderate debt load makes this a reasonable if modest ROI choice. Loan forgiveness programs for public-school teachers can further improve net outcomes.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is Catawba's largest non-business program by graduate count (40). One-year earnings of $27,305 against $26,703 debt produces a ratio near 1.0 (graded D), indicating graduates in year one are carrying debt almost equal to their annual income. Four-year earnings improve to $44,296, but the slow start creates real repayment pressure. Students in this field should map career paths precisely - exercise science to physical therapy or healthcare administration improves these outcomes substantially.
Natural Resources Conservation
Natural Resources graduates (18 reported) earn $27,389 at one year, reaching $42,505 at four years - against $25,794 in debt and a ratio of 0.94, graded D. Catawba's proximity to Appalachian ecosystems and its noted environmental programs attract students passionate about conservation, but the labor market for early-career environmental roles is competitive and often low-paying. Pairing this major with GIS skills, biology credentials, or graduate study is recommended to improve earnings outcomes.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.8% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 72.5% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Catawba College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 75.2% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 520-650 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-25 |
| Enrollment | 1,235 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,682 |
Catawba admits 75% of applicants, making it broadly accessible. SAT mid-range is 520 - 650 (reading and math), ACT composite 17 - 25. No published test-optional data; applicants with scores in the lower ranges should bolster applications with strong letters and demonstrated interest. Applying early may improve aid packaging.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba College (this school) | 32 | $17,879 | $48,793 |
| University of Pikeville | 33 | $20,311 | $48,231 |
| Virginia Wesleyan University | 31 | $19,676 | $50,074 |
| Maryland Institute College of Art | 29 | $42,729 | $45,212 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
Who Thrives Here
Catawba fits students who want a small residential campus, value personalized attention, and have identified a program with strong job-market alignment - especially nursing or business. Students attracted to environmental studies, theatre, or music should budget carefully and plan graduate or professional school paths accordingly, as those programs show weak near-term earnings. Families in the $30,000 - $75,000 income range receive meaningful discounts; households above $110,000 pay closer to full price. Academically, the middle 50% SAT range of 520 - 650 across sections is accessible to B-average high schoolers.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Catawba College scores 32/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,879 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,793 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 15.3 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 47.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.8% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,900 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Catawba College: Common Questions
Is Catawba College worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Catawba College scores 32/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,879 a year after aid against $48,793 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 15.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Catawba College cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,879 a year, or roughly $71,516 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Catawba College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,793 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,993 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Catawba College?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 15.3 years for Catawba College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Catawba College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $31,900 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Catawba College?
The six-year graduation rate is 47.3%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.