Columbus State vs. Columbia College

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

Columbus State Columbia College
Location Columbus, GA Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,479 1,514
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #913
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $21,250
Room & Board $12,080 $8,400
Avg Net Price $12,902 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 97%

Admission

Columbus State Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 2,176
Admitted 3,398 2,135
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 98.1%
Enrolled % 30.4% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 14/18
SAT Range 900/1130 850/1140
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 Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Columbia College
Graduation Rate 31% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $268 $261

Diversity

Columbus State Columbia College
% Men 40% 15%
% Women 60% 85%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 55%
% Black 37% 34%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Columbus State Columbia College
% In-State 92% 76%
% Out-of-State 5% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbus State University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 1,514 students)

Columbus State vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Columbia College?

  • Columbia College is 386.2% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.8% higher at Columbia College than Columbus State University ($21,250.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Columbia College ($12,902 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 43.8% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($8,400 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than Columbia College (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 75.9% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($16,089 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 10 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Columbus State (87.8%)

Columbus State vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Columbia 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 Columbia College and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Columbus State University (50% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $2,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $736 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($25,264 vs. $26,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($261 vs. $268)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 37%)

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