CAU vs. Columbia College

Should I go to Clark Atlanta University or Columbia College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CAU 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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Clark Atlanta University vs. Columbia College comparison
Clark Atlanta University Columbia College College 3 College 4
Clark Atlanta University
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Overview

CAU Columbia College
Location Atlanta, GA Columbia, SC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 4,000 1,514
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #913
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $21,250
Room & Board $10,982 $8,400
Avg Net Price $30,015 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 97%

Admission

CAU Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 2,176
Admitted 9,088 2,135
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 98.1%
Enrolled % 12.7% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 14/18
SAT Range 880/1120 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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

CAU Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

CAU Columbia College
Graduation Rate 41% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $320 $261

Diversity

CAU Columbia College
% Men 24% 15%
% Women 76% 85%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 55%
% Black 84% 34%
% Hispanic 0% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 13% 1%

Students

CAU Columbia College
% In-State 27% 76%
% Out-of-State 72% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (4,000 students vs. 1,514 students)

CAU vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Columbia College?

  • Clark Atlanta University is 3.3% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($21,948.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at CAU than Columbia College ($21,948.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than CAU ($18,779 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 30.7% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($8,400 vs. $10,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College than Clark Atlanta University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 70.6% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($16,089 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 121 points higher than at CAU (850)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at CAU (3.28)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than CAU (56.3%)

CAU vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Clark Atlanta University (50% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Clark Atlanta University earn on average $3,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $5,736 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($25,264 vs. $31,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($261 vs. $320)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 30%)

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