Edward Waters College vs. Columbus State

Should I go to Edward Waters College or Columbus State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Edward Waters College or Columbus State 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

GS Georgia State Bethune-Cookman University of West Georgia Florida Memorial University KSU VSU Clayton State University Benedict College TROY Albany State University Allen University
Edward Waters College vs. Columbus State University comparison
Edward Waters College Columbus State University College 3 College 4
Edward Waters College Columbus State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
Location Jacksonville, FL Columbus, GA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,181 7,479
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995
Religious Affiliation African Methodist Episcopal - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ewc.edu columbusstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
Tuition (In State) $14,658 $4,371
Tuition (Out of State) $14,658 $15,425
Room & Board $8,010 $12,080
Avg Net Price $13,649 $12,902
Avg Grant Aid $12,984 $9,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,988 3,870
Admitted 7,509 3,398
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 87.8%
Enrolled % 4.2% 30.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.64 3.07
Typical High School Grades C+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18 16/23
SAT Range 820/990 900/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2025

Academics

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)

Outcomes

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
Graduation Rate 18% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $27,800 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 14% 37%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $26,000
Median Loan Payment N/A $268

Diversity

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
% Men 54% 40%
% Women 46% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 4% 51%
% Black 89% 37%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
% In-State 77% 92%
% Out-of-State 20% 5%

Campus

 Edward Waters College Columbus State
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 Edward Waters College based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 1,181 students)

Edward Waters College vs. Columbus State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Edward Waters College or Columbus State?

  • Edward Waters College is 235.3% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($14,658.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at Columbus State than Edward Waters College ($15,425.00 vs. $14,658.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than Edward Waters College ($12,902 vs. $13,649)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Edward Waters College are 50.8% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($8,010 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Edward Waters College than Columbus State University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Edward Waters College students is 41.9% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($12,984 vs. $9,147)

Edward Waters College vs. Columbus State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbus State University (961) is 180 points higher than at Edward Waters College (781)
  • Incoming Columbus State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Edward Waters College (16)
  • Accepted freshman Columbus State students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.07) than students at Edward Waters College (2.64)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Edward Waters College (83.5%)

Edward Waters College vs. Columbus State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Edward Waters College or Columbus State? 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 Columbus State and Edward Waters College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbus State is higher than Edward Waters College (31% vs. 18%)
  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $9,600 more per year than Edward Waters College graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $27,800)
  • More Columbus State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Edward Waters College students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 14%)

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