Catawba County is home to a community college, a 4-year private university, and a 4-year public university.


Higher Education

Catawba County is home to Appalachian State University Hickory Campus, a public four-year university; Lenoir Rhyne University, a four-year liberal arts school and Catawba Valley Community College.

 

Catawba Valley Community College's (CVCC) commitment to solving workforce needs for local industries is evident in the creation of its Workforce Solutions Complex.  A culmination of many years of planning and collaboration with the three public school systems, this $23 million dollar, 86,000 square foot facility houses technology and engineering programs for college students, and junior & senior high school students from all schools in Catawba County.  Business-driven programs include:  Computer Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Computer Integrated Machining, Electronics Engineering Technology, Welding, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Mechatronics, and Robotics.   

The new 225,800 s.f. Appalachian State University Hickory Campus opened in Fall 2023 with more than 100 undergraduate majors available and an inaugural enrollment of 363 students. The facility is larger than any building on App State's main campus in Boone and sits on 115.7 acres of land including large open spaces.  It is a short drive from the NC School of Science and Mathematics western campus in Morganton which opened in June 2022.

Lenoir Rhyne University (LRU), a private Lutheran school, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The University has nearly 2,700 students, including both undergraduate and graduate.  LRU offers 50 majors, 53 minors, and 20 graduate programs.  Academic programs include Accounting, Business Administration, Information Technology, International Business, Management, Marketing, Nursing, and more.  There are 140 full-time faculty, 81% of which hold terminal degrees.  

 

Colleges & Universities within 50 miles of Catawba County

University of North Carolina Campuses (Fall 2022)
 Institution  City Total Enrollment  Distance 
Appalachian State University (ASU) Boone 20,436 43
Appalachian State University (ASU) Hickory 363 (2023) -
UNC - Charlotte Charlotte 29,551 50
Source:  National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator
Community Colleges
Institution City Curriculum
Enrollment
(Spring '23)
Curriculum & 
Continuing Educ.
('22-'23)
Distance
Caldwell CC & TI Hudson 3,532 9,421 11
Catawba Valley CC Hickory 4,183 12,702 -
Cleveland CC Shelby 2,496 9,705 44
Central Piedmont CC Charlotte 17,278 42,215 46
Gaston College Dallas 5,325 16,220 22
McDowell TCC Marion 1,179 5,285 46
Mitchell CC Statesville 3,228 8,607 17
Rowan-Cabarrus CC Salisbury 6,220 20,837 46
Western Piedmont CC Morganton 1,729 5,677 20
Source:  NC Community College System, Dashboard
Independant Colleges & Universities (Fall 2022)
Institution City Enrollment Distance
Belmont Abbey College Belmont 1,501 33
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord 528 43
Catawba College Salisbury 1,172 43
Davidson College Davidson 1,927 32
Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs 3,144 40
Johnson & Wales University Charlotte 1,262 45
Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte 1,093 44
Lees-McRae College Banner Elk 855 40
Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory 2,686 -
Livingstone College Salisbury 839 46
Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte 1,873 47
Source:  National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator

  

K-12 Education

K-12 Public School Enrollment - 2021-2022
District Schools Enrollment
Catawba County Schools 28 15,145
Hickory City Schools 9 3,691
Newton-Conover City Schools 7 2,800
Source:  NC Department of Public Instruction, NC Schools Report Card
K-12 Non-Public School Enrollment - 2022-2023
  Schools Enrollment
Non-Public Schools 12 1,780
Source:  NC Dept. of Admin., Div. of Non-Public Educ., Directory of Non-Public Schools
Public Schools SAT Scores - 2022
  #Tested %Tested Math ERW Total
US 1,450,575 NA 507 521 1028
NC 23,378 25.1 561 569 1130
Catawba 116 12.5 552 559 1111
Hickory 48 24.6 593 599 1192
Newton-
Conover
29 14.1 574 606 1179
Source:  NC Department of Public Instruction, 2022 SAT Performance by District & School
Public Schools ACT Scores - 2021-2022
 
#Tested
Composite
Mean
English Mean
(Met
Benchmark)
Math Mean
(Met
Benchmark)
Reading Mean
(Met
Benchmark)
Science Mean
(Met
Benchmark)
Met all 4
Benchmarks
NC
97,770
18.2
16.4
(38.7%)
18.1
(24.0%)
19.9
(34.4%)
18.6
(24.5%)
15.8%
Catawba
1,034
18.4
16.4
(39.7%)
18.5
(24.3%)
19.0
(33.0%)
19.3
(29.6%)
14.8%
Hickory
267
17.0
14.8
(28.8%)
17.1
(16.5%)
17.7
(28.6%)
17.8
(18.8%)
9.4
Newton-
Conover
183
19.4
17.7
(44.3%)
19.1
(30.6%)
20.3
(39.6%)
19.8
(26.2%)
19.2
Source:  NC Department of Public Instruction, ACT Results
Public School Post High School Intentions - 2021-2022
 
Catawba
Hickory
Newton-
Conover
      Total
Public Sr. Institution
234
(23.4%)
63
(25.7%)
39
(20.3%)
336
(23.3%)
Private Sr. Institution
102
(10.2%)
17
(6.9%)
13
(6.8%)
132
(9.2%)
Community College
403
(40.2%)
87
(35.5%)
95
(49.5%)
585
(40.7%)
Private Jr. College
1
(0.1)
1 (0.4)
-
2
(0.1%)
Trade Business School
16
(1.6%)
3 (1.2)
1 (0.5)
20
(1.4%)
Military
26
(2.6%)
-
3 (1.2%)
1 (0.5)
30
(2.1%)
Employment
210
(21.0%)
69
(28.2%)
39
(20.3%)
318
(22.1%)
Other
10
(1.0%)
2 (0.8)
4 (2.1)
16
(1.1%)
Totals
1,002
245
192
1,439
Source:  NC Department of Public Instruction, Statistical Profile for 2021-2022