Columbia State Community College vs. Southwest

Deciding between Columbia State Community College and Southwest Tennessee Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia State Community College Columbia, TN
  • Southwest Memphis, TN
  • Setting
  • Columbia State Community College Distant Town
  • Southwest Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia State Community College 5,712
  • Southwest 7,004
  • Type
  • Columbia State Community College Public 2 Year
  • Southwest Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia State Community College -
  • Southwest -
  • Status
  • Columbia State Community College Non-profit
  • Southwest Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia State Community College $5,296
  • Southwest $4,778
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia State Community College $18,112
  • Southwest $17,750
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia State Community College $14,200
  • Southwest $9,431
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia State Community College $6,193
  • Southwest $5,396
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia State Community College $6,353
  • Southwest $7,399
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia State Community College 93%
  • Southwest 91%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia State Community College -
  • Southwest -
  • Admitted
  • Columbia State Community College -
  • Southwest -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia State Community College Open
  • Southwest
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia State Community College Open
  • Southwest
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia State Community College -
  • Southwest -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia State Community College -
  • Southwest -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia State Community College Unavailable
  • Southwest Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Southwest
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia State Community College Open admission
  • Southwest Not reported
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia State Community College Aug 13, 2027
  • Southwest

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia State Community College 19:1
  • Southwest 20:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia State Community College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (47%)
    • Health Professions (32%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Education (4%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)
  • Southwest
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Engineering Technology (11%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia State Community College -
  • Southwest -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia State Community College $33,400
  • Southwest $27,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia State Community College 45%
  • Southwest -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia State Community College $10,500
  • Southwest N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia State Community College $108
  • Southwest N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia State Community College 38%
  • Southwest 35%
  • % Women
  • Columbia State Community College 62%
  • Southwest 65%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia State Community College Very Low
  • Southwest Medium
  • HBCU
  • Columbia State Community College No
  • Southwest No
  • % White
  • Columbia State Community College 82%
  • Southwest 29%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia State Community College 1%
  • Southwest 3%
  • % Black
  • Columbia State Community College 8%
  • Southwest 59%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia State Community College 5%
  • Southwest 5%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia State Community College 0%
  • Southwest 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia State Community College 0%
  • Southwest 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia State Community College 3%
  • Southwest 2%
  • % International
  • Columbia State Community College 0%
  • Southwest 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia State Community College 1%
  • Southwest 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia State Community College 98%
  • Southwest 97%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia State Community College 1%
  • Southwest 3%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia State Community College in Columbia, TN with Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is larger than Columbia State Community College based on total student enrollment (7,004 students vs. 5,712 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia State Community College is located in Columbia, TN (Distant Town setting); Southwest Tennessee Community College is in Memphis, TN (Large City setting).
  • Columbia State Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwest Tennessee Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia State Community College 19:1; Southwest Tennessee Community College 20:1.

Columbia State Community College vs. Southwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia State Community College or Southwest? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwest Tennessee Community College than Columbia State Community College ($5,396 vs. $6,193).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Tennessee Community College are 33.6% lower than at Columbia State Community College ($9,431 vs. $14,200).
  • Columbia State Community College is 10.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Southwest (about $518 more per year; $5,296.00 vs. $4,778.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 2% higher at Columbia State Community College than at Southwest Tennessee Community College (about $362 more per year; $18,112.00 vs. $17,750.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbia State Community College than at Southwest Tennessee Community College (93% vs. 91%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Tennessee Community College students is 16.5% larger than aid received by Columbia State Community College students ($7,399 vs. $6,353).

Columbia State Community College vs. Southwest Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia State Community College or Southwest? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Southwest and Columbia State Community College.

  • Columbia State Community College reports an open admissions policy.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia State Community College - Open admission; Southwest - Not reported.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbia State Community College Aug 13, 2027.

Columbia State Community College vs. Southwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia State Community College and Southwest? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Columbia State Community College earn a median of about $5,600 more per year than Southwest graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,400 vs. $27,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.