Columbus State vs. Warren Wilson

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

Columbus State Warren Wilson
Location Columbus, GA Swannanoa, NC
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 7,479 793
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #995
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu warren-wilson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State Warren Wilson
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $37,500
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $37,500
Room & Board $12,080 $12,050
Avg Net Price $12,902 $28,086
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $26,012
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Columbus State Warren Wilson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 905
Admitted 3,398 760
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 84%
Enrolled % 30.4% 25.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 21/29
SAT Range 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, 2025 Jul 3, 2025

Academics

Columbus State Warren Wilson
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (28%)
  • English and Literature (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

Columbus State Warren Wilson
Graduation Rate 31% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $30,800
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $237

Diversity

Columbus State Warren Wilson
% Men 40% 34%
% Women 60% 66%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 76%
% Black 37% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 4%

Students

Columbus State Warren Wilson
% In-State 92% 40%
% Out-of-State 5% 58%

Campus

Columbus State Warren Wilson
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 Warren Wilson based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 793 students)

Columbus State vs. Warren Wilson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or Warren Wilson?

  • Warren Wilson College is 757.9% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($37,500.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 143.1% higher at Warren Wilson than Columbus State University ($37,500.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Warren Wilson ($12,902 vs. $28,086)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Warren Wilson College are 0.2% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($12,050 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Warren Wilson College than Columbus State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Warren Wilson College students is 184.4% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($26,012 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. Warren Wilson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Warren Wilson College (1120) is 159 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming Warren Wilson students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman Warren Wilson students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Warren Wilson (84%)

Columbus State vs. Warren Wilson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or Warren Wilson? 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 Warren Wilson and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at Warren Wilson is higher than Columbus State University (45% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Warren Wilson graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $30,800)
  • Warren Wilson College students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Warren Wilson graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($237 vs. $268)
  • More Warren Wilson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 37%)

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