Blackburn College vs. Columbia College

Should I go to Blackburn College or Columbia College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Blackburn College or Columbia College 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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Blackburn College vs. Columbia College comparison
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Blackburn College
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Overview

Blackburn College Columbia College
Location Carlinville, IL Columbia, SC
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 382 1,514
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #913
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blackburn.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Blackburn College Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $26,055 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $26,055 $21,250
Room & Board $9,020 $8,400
Avg Net Price $21,575 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $14,112 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

Blackburn College Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 783 2,176
Admitted 504 2,135
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 98.1%
Enrolled % 21% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/24 14/18
SAT Range 888/1125 850/1140
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

Academics

Blackburn College Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Blackburn College Columbia College
Graduation Rate 48% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $268 $261

Diversity

Blackburn College Columbia College
% Men 44% 15%
% Women 56% 85%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 55%
% Black 13% 34%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Blackburn College Columbia College
% In-State 70% 76%
% Out-of-State 30% 22%

Campus

Blackburn College Columbia College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (1,514 students vs. 382 students)

Blackburn College vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or Columbia College?

  • Blackburn College is 22.6% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($26,055.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.6% higher at Blackburn College than Columbia College ($26,055.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than Blackburn College ($18,779 vs. $21,575)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 7.4% lower than costs at Blackburn College ($8,400 vs. $9,020)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Blackburn College than Columbia College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 14% larger than aid received Blackburn College ($16,089 vs. $14,112)

Blackburn College vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or Columbia College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia College or Blackburn College .

  • The average SAT score at Blackburn College (1005) is 34 points higher than at Columbia College (971)
  • Incoming Blackburn College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Columbia College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Blackburn College (3.23)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Blackburn College (64.4%)

Blackburn College vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Blackburn College or Columbia College? 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 Columbia College and Blackburn College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Blackburn College (50% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from Blackburn College earn on average $5,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $736 lower median federal student loan debt than Blackburn College graduates. ($25,264 vs. $26,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Blackburn College graduates. ($261 vs. $268)
  • More Blackburn College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 43%)

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