Bethune-Cookman vs. Columbus State

Should I go to Bethune Cookman University or Columbus State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bethune-Cookman or Columbus State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Bethune Cookman University vs. Columbus State University comparison
Bethune Cookman University Columbus State University College 3 College 4
Bethune Cookman University Columbus State University
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Overview

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
Location Daytona Beach, FL Columbus, GA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,727 7,479
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1010 #995
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cookman.edu columbusstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
Tuition (In State) $13,844 $4,371
Tuition (Out of State) $13,844 $15,425
Room & Board $10,396 $12,080
Avg Net Price $15,769 $12,902
Avg Grant Aid $13,780 $9,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,818 3,870
Admitted 10,891 3,398
Acceptance Rate 85% 87.8%
Enrolled % 8.9% 30.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.07
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/18 16/23
SAT Range 830/980 900/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2025

Academics

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)

Outcomes

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
Graduation Rate 37% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,700 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 20% 37%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,985 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $372 $268

Diversity

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 51%
% Black 85% 37%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
% In-State 75% 92%
% Out-of-State 21% 5%

Campus

 Bethune-Cookman Columbus State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbus State University is larger than than Bethune-Cookman based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 2,727 students)

Bethune-Cookman vs. Columbus State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bethune-Cookman or Columbus State?

  • Bethune Cookman University is 216.7% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($13,844.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at Columbus State than Bethune Cookman University ($15,425.00 vs. $13,844.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Bethune-Cookman ($12,902 vs. $15,769)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethune Cookman University are 16.2% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($10,396 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethune Cookman University than Columbus State University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethune Cookman University students is 50.7% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($13,780 vs. $9,147)

Bethune-Cookman vs. Columbus State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bethune-Cookman or Columbus State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbus State or Bethune-Cookman .

  • Accepted freshman Bethune-Cookman students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Bethune-Cookman (85%)

Bethune-Cookman vs. Columbus State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bethune-Cookman or Columbus State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Columbus State and Bethune-Cookman.

  • The graduation rate at Bethune-Cookman is higher than Columbus State University (37% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $5,700 more per year than Bethune-Cookman graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $31,700)
  • Columbus State University students graduate with a $9,985 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethune-Cookman graduates. ($26,000 vs. $35,985)
  • Columbus State graduates are paying $104 less per month on federal student loans than Bethune-Cookman graduates. ($268 vs. $372)
  • More Columbus State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethune-Cookman students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 20%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/