Columbia College vs. Ferrum College

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

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Guilford College AU Dominican College RU Virginia University of Lynchburg North Carolina Wesleyan College Longwood University
Columbia College vs. Ferrum College comparison
Columbia College Ferrum College College 3 College 4
Ferrum College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Columbia College Ferrum College
Location Columbia, SC Ferrum, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,572 767
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #914
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu ferrum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Ferrum College
Tuition (In State) $20,650 $37,400
Tuition (Out of State) $20,650 $37,400
Room & Board $8,550 $13,230
Avg Net Price $23,920 $22,521
Avg Grant Aid $13,961 $32,061
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Columbia College Ferrum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,163 1,483
Admitted 2,072 1,483
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 100%
Enrolled % 9.8% 16.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 850/1140 880/1100
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Sep 15, 2024

Academics

Columbia College Ferrum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Ferrum College
Graduation Rate 50% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $289

Diversity

Columbia College Ferrum College
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 17% 1%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 52%
% Black 34% 34%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Columbia College Ferrum College
% In-State 79% 68%
% Out-of-State 16% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (1,572 students vs. 767 students)

Columbia College vs. Ferrum College Cost Comparison

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

  • Ferrum College is 81.1% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $20,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.1% higher at Ferrum College than Columbia College ($37,400.00 vs. $20,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ferrum College than Columbia College ($22,521 vs. $23,920)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 54.7% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($8,550 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ferrum College than Columbia College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 129.6% larger than aid received Columbia College ($32,061 vs. $13,961)

Columbia College vs. Ferrum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 90 points higher than at Ferrum College (881)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Ferrum College (18)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Ferrum College (3.14)
  • Ferrum College has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Columbia College (95.8%)

Columbia College vs. Ferrum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Ferrum 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 Ferrum College and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Ferrum College (50% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Ferrum College earn on average $4,300 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $2,736 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($25,264 vs. $28,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($261 vs. $289)
  • More Ferrum College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 43%)

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