Columbus State vs. Tusculum College

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

Columbus State Tusculum College
Location Columbus, GA Greeneville, TN
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 7,479 1,303
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #1004
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu tusculum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Tusculum College
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $26,558
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $26,558
Room & Board $12,080 $10,042
Avg Net Price $12,902 $20,414
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $22,630
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Columbus State Tusculum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 1,369
Admitted 3,398 1,110
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 81.1%
Enrolled % 30.4% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.18
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 17/22
SAT Range 900/1130 910/1110
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 Tusculum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (55%)
  • Education (31%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (1%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Tusculum College
Graduation Rate 31% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $41,900
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbus State Tusculum College
% Men 40% 48%
% Women 60% 52%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 74%
% Black 37% 14%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Columbus State Tusculum College
% In-State 92% 45%
% Out-of-State 5% 44%

Campus

Columbus State Tusculum 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 Tusculum College based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 1,303 students)

Columbus State vs. Tusculum College Cost Comparison

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

  • Tusculum College is 507.6% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($26,558.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.2% higher at Tusculum College than Columbus State University ($26,558.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Tusculum College ($12,902 vs. $20,414)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tusculum College are 20.3% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($10,042 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Tusculum College than Columbus State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tusculum College students is 147.4% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($22,630 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. Tusculum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbus State University (961) is 1 points higher than at Tusculum College (960)
  • Incoming Tusculum College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Tusculum College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.18) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Tusculum College (81.1%)

Columbus State vs. Tusculum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Tusculum 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 Tusculum College and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at Tusculum College is higher than Columbus State University (38% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Tusculum College earn on average $4,500 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($41,900 vs. $37,400)
  • Columbus State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Tusculum College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbus State graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Tusculum College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Tusculum College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 37%)

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