Columbia College vs. VSU

Should I go to Columbia College or Virginia State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or VSU 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. Virginia State University comparison
Columbia College Virginia State University College 3 College 4
Virginia State University
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Overview

Columbia College VSU
Location Columbia, SC Petersburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,514 4,648
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #913 #980
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College VSU
Tuition (In State) $21,250 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $21,250 $16,542
Room & Board $8,400 $11,544
Avg Net Price $18,779 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $16,089 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 92%

Admission

Columbia College VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,176 8,230
Admitted 2,135 7,384
Acceptance Rate 98.1% 89.7%
Enrolled % 8.9% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18 14/17
SAT Range 850/1140 830/1030
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia College VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Columbia College VSU
Graduation Rate 50% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $261 $305

Diversity

Columbia College VSU
% Men 15% 40%
% Women 85% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 55% 3%
% Black 34% 87%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

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

Campus

Columbia College VSU
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

  • Virginia State University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (4,648 students vs. 1,514 students)

Columbia College vs. VSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or VSU?

  • Columbia College is 283.6% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.5% higher at Columbia College than Virginia State University ($21,250.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia State University than Columbia College ($15,773 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 37.4% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($8,400 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College than Virginia State University (97% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 39.9% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($16,089 vs. $11,498)

Columbia College vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 114 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.71 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than VSU (89.7%)

Columbia College vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Virginia State University (50% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Virginia State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $4,236 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($25,264 vs. $29,500)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($261 vs. $305)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 28%)

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