Catawba College Acceptance Rate & Test Scores

Salisbury, NC · Private · 4-year

  • Acceptance rate: 75% for fall 2024
  • SAT, middle 50%: 520–650 reading and writing, 510–650 math
  • ACT, middle 50%: 17–25 composite
  • Average net price: $18,319 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?

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Where you standEnter your GPA

Add a test score to compare it with what Catawba College reported: an acceptance rate of 75% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 17–25.

Plan the grades I need

A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Catawba College reviews each application.

Catawba College GPA requirements

Catawba College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Federal data doesn't include GPA averages, and Catawba College hasn't published one we could verify, so this page doesn't list an average GPA.

Catawba College acceptance rate

Catawba College admitted 2,600 of 3,457 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 75%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Catawba College is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Salisbury, North Carolina, with 1,262 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Catawba College in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test25th percentileMedian75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing520550650
SAT Math510560650
ACT Composite172125
ACT English152024
ACT Math161924
14% submitted SAT scores and 33% submitted ACT scores, as Catawba College reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1096 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Catawba College looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factorStatus
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.Required
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.Required
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.Required
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.Required
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.Considered if submitted
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.Considered if submitted
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.Considered if submitted
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.Considered if submitted
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.Considered if submitted
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.Not considered
Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Catawba College's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Catawba College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It doesn't award credit for life experience.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $18,319 a year at Catawba College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

Is Catawba College hard to get into?

Not for most prepared students: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Catawba College admitted 75% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for Catawba College?

GPA alone can't tell you here. Catawba College admitted 75% of first-year applicants for fall 2024. It requires a high school GPA but hasn't published an average we could verify, so there's no admitted-student GPA to compare a 3.0 against. Your transcript and test scores are the clearer guide.

How many applicants get into Catawba College?

Catawba College's acceptance rate was 75% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,600 of 3,457 first-year applicants, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

What GPA do you need to get into Catawba College?

Catawba College requires a high school GPA from first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. It hasn't published an average GPA we could verify, so we don't list one.

How much does GPA matter at Catawba College?

A lot: Catawba College requires high school GPA, high school record, college preparatory program and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, recommendations, test scores, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Is Catawba College test optional?

Yes. Catawba College considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 14% sent SAT scores and 33% sent ACT scores.

What are Catawba College's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of Catawba College's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 520–650 in reading and writing and 510–650 in math; ACT composite 17–25, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

What do students pay at Catawba College after grants?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $18,319 a year at Catawba College in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Does Catawba College accept AP credit?

Yes. Catawba College awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

Does Catawba College look at legacy status?

Yes. Catawba College considers whether a parent or other relative attended, though it isn't required, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

Before you apply, check Catawba College's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

  1. College Navigator: Catawba CollegeU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
  2. College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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