Columbus State vs. Coastal Carolina

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

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
Location Columbus, GA Conway, SC
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 7,479 10,337
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #821
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu coastal.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $11,460
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $28,310
Room & Board $12,080 $10,628
Avg Net Price $12,902 $14,016
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $10,610
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 17,161
Admitted 3,398 13,493
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 78.6%
Enrolled % 30.4% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.72
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 20/25
SAT Range 900/1130 1020/1190
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 Coastal Carolina
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
Graduation Rate 31% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,930
Median Loan Payment $268 $257

Diversity

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 68%
% Black 37% 20%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
% In-State 92% 31%
% Out-of-State 5% 68%

Campus

Columbus State Coastal Carolina
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Coastal Carolina University is larger than than Columbus State based on total student enrollment (10,337 students vs. 7,479 students)

Columbus State vs. Coastal Carolina Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Coastal Carolina?

  • Coastal Carolina University is 162.2% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($11,460.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.5% higher at Coastal Carolina than Columbus State University ($28,310.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Coastal Carolina ($12,902 vs. $14,016)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastal Carolina University are 13.7% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($10,628 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than Coastal Carolina University (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Coastal Carolina University students is 16% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($10,610 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. Coastal Carolina Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Coastal Carolina University (1009) is 48 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming Coastal Carolina students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Coastal Carolina (78.6%)

Columbus State vs. Coastal Carolina Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Coastal Carolina? 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 Coastal Carolina and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at Coastal Carolina is higher than Columbus State University (46% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Coastal Carolina University earn on average $4,800 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $37,400)
  • Coastal Carolina University students graduate with a $1,070 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($24,930 vs. $26,000)
  • Coastal Carolina graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($257 vs. $268)
  • More Coastal Carolina graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 37%)

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