Pensacola State vs. Columbia Southern University

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

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
Location Pensacola, FL Orange Beach, AL
Setting Small City Distant Rural
Enrollment 7,981 15,948
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website pensacolastate.edu columbiasouthern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
Tuition (In State) $1,888 $5,880
Tuition (Out of State) $7,551 $5,880
Room & Board $9,486 $8,136
Avg Net Price $3,305 $12,366
Avg Grant Aid $5,663 $4,154
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 42%

Admission

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA 2.54 -
Typical High School Grades C+ -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 30, 2025

Academics

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 28:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (53%)
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Engineering Technology (3%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (35%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Engineering Technology (17%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (4%)
  • Health Professions (3%)

Outcomes

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
Graduation Rate - 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $3,500 $16,404
Median Loan Payment $36 $169

Diversity

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
% Men 36% 62%
% Women 64% 38%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 58%
% Black 16% 23%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
% In-State 94% 8%
% Out-of-State 5% 90%

Campus

 Pensacola State Columbia Southern University
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia Southern University is larger than than Pensacola State based on total student enrollment (15,948 students vs. 7,981 students)

Pensacola State vs. Columbia Southern University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pensacola State or Columbia Southern University?

  • Columbia Southern University is 211.4% more expensive to attend than Pensacola State for in-state tuition ($5,880.00 vs. $1,888.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.4% higher at Pensacola State than Columbia Southern University ($7,551.00 vs. $5,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pensacola State College than Columbia Southern University ($3,305 vs. $12,366)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia Southern University are 16.6% lower than costs at Pensacola State College ($8,136 vs. $9,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Pensacola State College than Columbia Southern University (67% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pensacola State College students is 36.3% larger than aid received Columbia Southern University ($5,663 vs. $4,154)

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

Pensacola State vs. Columbia Southern University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Pensacola State or Columbia Southern University? 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 Southern University and Pensacola State.

  • Pensacola State College students graduate with a $12,904 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia Southern University graduates. ($3,500 vs. $16,404)
  • Pensacola State graduates are paying $133 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia Southern University graduates. ($36 vs. $169)
  • More Columbia Southern University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pensacola State students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 46%)

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