Columbus State vs. SCAD

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

 Columbus State SCAD
Location Columbus, GA Savannah, GA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,479 16,414
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #765
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu scad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbus State SCAD
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $39,105
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $39,105
Room & Board $12,080 $15,594
Avg Net Price $12,902 $45,976
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $13,157
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

 Columbus State SCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 14,387
Admitted 3,398 11,759
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 81.7%
Enrolled % 30.4% 29.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 20/28
SAT Range 900/1130 1060/1280
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 SCAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (74%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Communication (3%)

Outcomes

 Columbus State SCAD
Graduation Rate 31% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $39,800
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 Columbus State SCAD
% Men 40% 30%
% Women 60% 70%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 54%
% Black 37% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 15%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

 Columbus State SCAD
% In-State 92% 16%
% Out-of-State 5% 72%

Campus

 Columbus State SCAD
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

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is larger than than Columbus State based on total student enrollment (16,414 students vs. 7,479 students)

Columbus State vs. SCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or SCAD?

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is 794.6% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($39,105.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 153.5% higher at SCAD than Columbus State University ($39,105.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than SCAD ($12,902 vs. $45,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbus State University are 29.1% lower than costs at Savannah College of Art and Design ($12,080 vs. $15,594)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University as Savannah College of Art and Design (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Savannah College of Art and Design students is 43.8% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($13,157 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. SCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Savannah College of Art and Design (1064) is 103 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming SCAD students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman SCAD 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 (87.8%) than SCAD (81.7%)

Columbus State vs. SCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SCAD is higher than Columbus State University (64% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Savannah College of Art and Design earn on average $2,400 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($39,800 vs. $37,400)
  • Columbus State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SCAD graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbus State graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than SCAD graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More SCAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 37%)

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