Paine College vs. Columbia College

Should I go to Paine College or Columbia College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Paine College 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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Paine College vs. Columbia College comparison
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Overview

 Paine College Columbia College
Location Augusta, GA Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 310 1,514
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #913
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Paine College Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $21,250
Room & Board $7,512 $8,400
Avg Net Price $15,877 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $11,755 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 Paine College Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,302 2,176
Admitted 1,701 2,135
Acceptance Rate 51.5% 98.1%
Enrolled % 5.3% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 3.56
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 14/18
SAT Range 776/976 850/1140
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Paine College Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Paine College Columbia College
Graduation Rate 27% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $369 $261

Diversity

 Paine College Columbia College
% Men 43% 15%
% Women 57% 85%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 55%
% Black 89% 34%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Paine College Columbia College
% In-State 71% 76%
% Out-of-State 28% 22%

Campus

 Paine College Columbia 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

  • Columbia College is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (1,514 students vs. 310 students)

Paine College vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paine College or Columbia College?

  • Columbia College is 67.2% more expensive to attend than Paine College for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.2% higher at Columbia College than Paine College ($21,250.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Paine College than Columbia College ($15,877 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 11.8% lower than costs at Columbia College ($7,512 vs. $8,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than Columbia College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 36.9% larger than aid received Paine College ($16,089 vs. $11,755)

Paine College vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 222 points higher than at Paine College (749)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Paine College (16)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.75 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Paine College (2.81)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Paine College (51.5%)

Paine College vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paine College 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 Paine College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Paine College (50% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College earn on average $6,300 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($34,700 vs. $28,400)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $10,486 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($25,264 vs. $35,750)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($261 vs. $369)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 15%)

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