Columbia College vs. USC Aiken

Should I go to Columbia College or University of South Carolina Aiken? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or USC Aiken 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 South Carolina Aiken comparison
Columbia College University of South Carolina Aiken College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Columbia College USC Aiken
Location Columbia, SC Aiken, SC
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,572 3,855
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #914 #883
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $20,650 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $20,650 $20,856
Room & Board $8,550 $8,736
Avg Net Price $23,920 $11,697
Avg Grant Aid $13,961 $9,701
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

 Columbia College USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,163 2,905
Admitted 2,072 2,316
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 79.7%
Enrolled % 9.8% 26.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18 17/23
SAT Range 850/1140 970/1200
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Columbia College USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 50% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $268

Diversity

 Columbia College USC Aiken
% Men 2% 6%
% Women 17% 13%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 58%
% Black 34% 27%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Columbia College USC Aiken
% In-State 79% 88%
% Out-of-State 16% 11%

Campus

 Columbia College USC Aiken
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 South Carolina Aiken is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (3,855 students vs. 1,572 students)

Columbia College vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or USC Aiken?

  • Columbia College is 98.6% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($20,650.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1% higher at USC Aiken than Columbia College ($20,856.00 vs. $20,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Columbia College ($11,697 vs. $23,920)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 2.2% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Aiken ($8,550 vs. $8,736)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College as University of South Carolina Aiken (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 43.9% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($13,961 vs. $9,701)

Columbia College vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 5 points higher than at Columbia College (971)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than USC Aiken (79.7%)

Columbia College vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or USC Aiken? 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 USC Aiken and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (50% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $4,900 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $736 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($25,264 vs. $26,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($261 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 43%)

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