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GS Georgia State Reinhardt University University of West Georgia KSU VSU Clayton State University TROY Truett-McConnell College Albany State University ASU Lander University| Columbus State University | Shorter University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Columbus State | Shorter | ||
| Location | Columbus, GA | Rome, GA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 7,610 | 1,447 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #997 | #977 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | Baptist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | columbusstate.edu | shorter.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Columbus State | Shorter | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,371 | $23,514 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,425 | $23,514 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,262 | $9,784 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,384 | $16,692 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,299 | $18,168 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 100% |
Admission |
Columbus State | Shorter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,550 | 783 | ||
| Admitted | 3,523 | 759 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 99.2% | 96.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 30.7% | 35.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.07 | 3.25 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/24 | 17/23 | ||
| SAT Range | 860/1100 | 900/1130 | ||
| 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 | Aug 25, 2026 |
Academics |
Columbus State | Shorter | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 15:1 | ||
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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 | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 14% | 5% | ||
| 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 | 91% | 81% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 16% | ||
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 (7,610 students vs. 1,447 students)
Columbus State vs. Shorter Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Shorter?
- Shorter University is 438% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($23,514.00 vs. $4,371.00)
- Out of state tuition is 52.4% higher at Shorter than Columbus State University ($23,514.00 vs. $15,425.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Shorter ($11,384 vs. $16,692)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 15.1% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($9,784 vs. $11,262)
- 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 118.9% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($18,168 vs. $8,299)
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)
- Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (99.2%) than Shorter (96.9%)
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/