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 7,610 1,572
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #997 #914
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 $20,650
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $20,650
Room & Board $11,262 $8,550
Avg Net Price $11,384 $23,920
Avg Grant Aid $8,299 $13,961
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

Columbus State Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,550 2,163
Admitted 3,523 2,072
Acceptance Rate 99.2% 95.8%
Enrolled % 30.7% 9.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 14/18
SAT Range 860/1100 850/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2025

Academics

Columbus State Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 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 7% 2%
% Women 14% 17%
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 91% 79%
% Out-of-State 7% 16%

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 (7,610 students vs. 1,572 students)

Columbus State vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

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

  • Columbia College is 372.4% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($20,650.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.9% higher at Columbia College than Columbus State University ($20,650.00 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 ($11,384 vs. $23,920)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 31.7% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($8,550 vs. $11,262)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University as Columbia College (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 68.2% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($13,961 vs. $8,299)

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)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Columbia College (95.8%)

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/