Columbus State vs. Gordon

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

Columbus State Gordon
Location Columbus, GA Barnesville, GA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 7,610 3,129
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #997
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu gdn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Gordon
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $2,563
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $9,469
Room & Board $11,262 $9,142
Avg Net Price $11,384 $8,255
Avg Grant Aid $8,299 $6,304
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 89%

Admission

Columbus State Gordon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,550 2,126
Admitted 3,523 1,845
Acceptance Rate 99.2% 86.8%
Enrolled % 30.7% 39.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 15/19
SAT Range 860/1100 870/1080
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, 2026

Academics

Columbus State Gordon
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (68%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (10%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Gordon
Graduation Rate 31% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $34,100
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 26%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $17,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $180

Diversity

Columbus State Gordon
% Men 7% 6%
% Women 14% 11%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 50%
% Black 37% 42%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Columbus State Gordon
% In-State 91% 98%
% Out-of-State 7% 1%

Campus

Columbus State Gordon
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 Gordon based on total student enrollment (7,610 students vs. 3,129 students)

Columbus State vs. Gordon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Gordon?

  • Columbus State University is 70.5% more expensive to attend than Gordon for in-state tuition ($4,371.00 vs. $2,563.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62.9% higher at Columbus State than Gordon College ($15,425.00 vs. $9,469.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Gordon College than Columbus State ($8,255 vs. $11,384)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Gordon College are 23.2% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($9,142 vs. $11,262)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than Gordon College (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbus State University students is 31.6% larger than aid received Gordon College ($8,299 vs. $6,304)

Columbus State vs. Gordon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbus State University (961) is 110 points higher than at Gordon (851)
  • Incoming Columbus State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Gordon (18)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Gordon (86.8%)

Columbus State vs. Gordon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Gordon? 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 Gordon and Columbus State.

  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $3,300 more per year than Gordon graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $34,100)
  • Gordon College students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($17,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Gordon graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($180 vs. $268)
  • More Columbus State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gordon students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 26%)

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