Columbus State vs. Carson-Newman College

Should I go to Columbus State University or Carson Newman College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbus State or Carson-Newman 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.

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Columbus State University vs. Carson Newman College comparison
Columbus State University Carson Newman College College 3 College 4
Columbus State University
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Overview

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
Location Columbus, GA Jefferson City, TN
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 7,479 2,586
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #744
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu cn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $31,300
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $31,300
Room & Board $12,080 $10,097
Avg Net Price $12,902 $20,111
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $24,697
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 2,928
Admitted 3,398 2,336
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 79.8%
Enrolled % 30.4% 12.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 19/26
SAT Range 900/1130 980/1143
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 Jun 30, 2025

Academics

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
Graduation Rate 31% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,880
Median Loan Payment $268 $246

Diversity

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 83%
% Black 37% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
% In-State 92% 71%
% Out-of-State 5% 23%

Campus

Columbus State Carson-Newman College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbus State University is larger than than Carson-Newman College based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 2,586 students)

Columbus State vs. Carson-Newman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Carson-Newman College?

  • Carson Newman College is 616.1% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($31,300.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 102.9% higher at Carson-Newman College than Columbus State University ($31,300.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Carson-Newman College ($12,902 vs. $20,111)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carson Newman College are 19.6% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($10,097 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carson Newman College than Columbus State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carson Newman College students is 170% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($24,697 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. Carson-Newman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carson Newman College (1039) is 78 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming Carson-Newman College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Carson-Newman College students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Carson-Newman College (79.8%)

Columbus State vs. Carson-Newman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Carson-Newman 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 Carson-Newman College and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at Carson-Newman College is higher than Columbus State University (45% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Carson Newman College earn on average $4,300 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $37,400)
  • Carson Newman College students graduate with a $2,120 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($23,880 vs. $26,000)
  • Carson-Newman College graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
  • More Carson-Newman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 37%)

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