Columbia College vs. UW-La Crosse

Should I go to Columbia College or University of Wisconsin La Crosse? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or UW-La Crosse 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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Columbia College vs. University of Wisconsin La Crosse comparison
Columbia College University of Wisconsin La Crosse College 3 College 4
University of Wisconsin La Crosse
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Overview

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
Location Columbia, MO La Crosse, WI
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 6,046 10,274
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #548
Religious Affiliation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ccis.edu uwlax.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
Tuition (In State) $24,326 $7,585
Tuition (Out of State) $24,326 $16,404
Room & Board $8,670 $6,942
Avg Net Price $22,824 $13,130
Avg Grant Aid $13,725 $3,395
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 64%

Admission

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,290
Admitted - 5,413
Acceptance Rate Open 74.3%
Enrolled % Open 43%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/26
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (42%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Human Services (4%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
Graduation Rate 39% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,800 $49,500
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,034 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $227 $240

Diversity

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 90%
% Black 25% 1%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

 Columbia College UW-La Crosse
% In-State 56% 81%
% Out-of-State 42% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin La Crosse is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (10,274 students vs. 6,046 students)

Columbia College vs. UW-La Crosse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or UW-La Crosse?

  • Columbia College is 220.7% more expensive to attend than UW-La Crosse for in-state tuition ($24,326.00 vs. $7,585.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.3% higher at Columbia College than University of Wisconsin La Crosse ($24,326.00 vs. $16,404.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin La Crosse than Columbia College ($13,130 vs. $22,824)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin La Crosse are 24.9% lower than costs at Columbia College ($6,942 vs. $8,670)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College than University of Wisconsin La Crosse (90% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 304.3% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin La Crosse ($13,725 vs. $3,395)

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

  • Accepted freshman UW-La Crosse students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Columbia College (3.59)

Columbia College vs. UW-La Crosse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or UW-La Crosse? 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 UW-La Crosse and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at UW-La Crosse is higher than Columbia College (68% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin La Crosse earn on average $7,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($49,500 vs. $41,800)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $1,216 lower median federal student loan debt than UW-La Crosse graduates. ($22,034 vs. $23,250)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than UW-La Crosse graduates. ($227 vs. $240)
  • More UW-La Crosse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 40%)

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