North Carolina Central University vs. Columbia College

Should I go to North Carolina Central University or Columbia College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if North Carolina Central University or Columbia 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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North Carolina Central University vs. Columbia College comparison
North Carolina Central University Columbia College College 3 College 4
North Carolina Central University
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Overview

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
Location Durham, NC Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,553 1,514
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #940 #913
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nccu.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $3,728 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $16,764 $21,250
Room & Board $11,864 $8,400
Avg Net Price $13,708 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $16,168 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 97%

Admission

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,423 2,176
Admitted 7,107 2,135
Acceptance Rate 84.4% 98.1%
Enrolled % 15.2% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.27 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/23 14/18
SAT Range 810/1130 850/1140
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
Graduation Rate 38% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,200 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $320 $261

Diversity

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
% Men 30% 15%
% Women 70% 85%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 6% 55%
% Black 81% 34%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
% In-State 65% 76%
% Out-of-State 29% 22%

Campus

North Carolina Central University Columbia College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina Central University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (7,553 students vs. 1,514 students)

North Carolina Central University vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Carolina Central University or Columbia College?

  • Columbia College is 470% more expensive to attend than North Carolina Central University for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $3,728.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.8% higher at Columbia College than North Carolina Central University ($21,250.00 vs. $16,764.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina Central University than Columbia College ($13,708 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 41.2% lower than costs at North Carolina Central University ($8,400 vs. $11,864)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College than North Carolina Central University (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina Central University students is 0.5% larger than aid received Columbia College ($16,168 vs. $16,089)

North Carolina Central University vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, North Carolina Central University or Columbia College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia College or North Carolina Central University .

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 92 points higher than at North Carolina Central University (879)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at North Carolina Central University (19)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at North Carolina Central University (3.27)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than North Carolina Central University (84.4%)

North Carolina Central University vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Carolina Central University or Columbia 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 Columbia College and North Carolina Central University.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than North Carolina Central University (50% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina Central University earn on average $500 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($35,200 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $5,736 lower median federal student loan debt than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($25,264 vs. $31,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($261 vs. $320)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Carolina Central University students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 23%)

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