Columbus State vs. Shorter

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

Columbus State Shorter
Location Columbus, GA Rome, GA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 7,479 1,515
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #872
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu shorter.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Shorter
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $22,380
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $22,380
Room & Board $12,080 $9,400
Avg Net Price $12,902 $13,490
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $20,057
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Columbus State Shorter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 871
Admitted 3,398 849
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 97.5%
Enrolled % 30.4% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.25
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 17/25
SAT Range 900/1130 960/1290
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 Aug 25, 2025

Academics

Columbus State Shorter
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Shorter
Graduation Rate 31% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $49,300
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 38%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $28,418
Median Loan Payment $268 $293

Diversity

Columbus State Shorter
% Men 40% 44%
% Women 60% 56%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 51% 62%
% Black 37% 24%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Columbus State Shorter
% In-State 92% 84%
% Out-of-State 5% 15%

Campus

Columbus State Shorter
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

  • Columbus State University is larger than than Shorter based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 1,515 students)

Columbus State vs. Shorter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Shorter?

  • Shorter University is 412% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($22,380.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.1% higher at Shorter than Columbus State University ($22,380.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Shorter ($12,902 vs. $13,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 28.5% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($9,400 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Columbus State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 119.3% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($20,057 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. Shorter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shorter University (969) is 8 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming Shorter students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Shorter students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.25) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than Columbus State (87.8%)

Columbus State vs. Shorter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Shorter is higher than Columbus State University (47% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $11,900 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $37,400)
  • Columbus State University students graduate with a $2,418 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($26,000 vs. $28,418)
  • Columbus State graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($268 vs. $293)
  • More Shorter graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (38% vs. 37%)

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