The Black Cats have agreed a four-year deal for the 21-year-old, who will link up with former Latics boss Steve Bruce at the Stadium of Light.
The former Middlesbrough youth team player, signed by Bruce for Wigan in a £3.5m deal in July 2008, becomes Sunderland's fifth signing of the summer after Darren Bent, Lorik Cana, Fraizer Campbell and Paulo Da Silva.
Cattermole made 69 first-team appearances for Middlesbrough and featured in 33 Premier League games in his lone season at Wigan.