Pensacola State vs. Columbus State

Deciding between Pensacola State College and Columbus State University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Columbus State University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Pensacola State Pensacola, FL
  • Columbus State Columbus, GA
  • Setting
  • Pensacola State Small City
  • Columbus State Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Pensacola State 9,491
  • Columbus State 7,913
  • Type
  • Pensacola State Public 4 Year
  • Columbus State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State #1007
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Pensacola State -
  • Columbus State -
  • Status
  • Pensacola State Non-profit
  • Columbus State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Pensacola State $2,361
  • Columbus State $5,898
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Pensacola State $9,460
  • Columbus State $17,610
  • Room & Board
  • Pensacola State $17,556
  • Columbus State $11,720
  • Average Net Price
  • Pensacola State $5,376
  • Columbus State $12,420
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Pensacola State $6,499
  • Columbus State $9,003
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Pensacola State 80%
  • Columbus State 89%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Pensacola State -
  • Columbus State 3,648
  • Admitted
  • Pensacola State -
  • Columbus State 3,616
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Pensacola State Open
  • Columbus State 99.1%
  • Enrolled
  • Pensacola State Open
  • Columbus State 31.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State 930
  • Typical ACT score
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State 19
  • Average High School GPA
  • Pensacola State 2.54
  • Columbus State 3.07
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Pensacola State B-
  • Columbus State B
  • Admissions Standards
  • Pensacola State Unavailable
  • Columbus State Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State
  • ACT Range
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State 16/22
  • SAT Range
  • Pensacola State
  • Columbus State 800/1060
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Pensacola State Open admission
  • Columbus State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Pensacola State Aug 30, 2027
  • Columbus State Jun 30, 2027
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Pensacola State 25:1
  • Columbus State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Pensacola State
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (53%)
    • Health Professions (25%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (3%)
    • Engineering Technology (3%)
  • Columbus State
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
    • Business (19%)
    • Education (14%)
    • Health Professions (14%)
    • English and Literature (4%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Pensacola State -
  • Columbus State 31%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Pensacola State $30,300
  • Columbus State $37,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Pensacola State 46%
  • Columbus State 37%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Pensacola State $3,500
  • Columbus State $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Pensacola State $36
  • Columbus State $268
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Pensacola State 35%
  • Columbus State 41%
  • % Women
  • Pensacola State 65%
  • Columbus State 59%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Pensacola State Medium
  • Columbus State High
  • HBCU
  • Pensacola State No
  • Columbus State No
  • % White
  • Pensacola State 66%
  • Columbus State 51%
  • % Asian
  • Pensacola State 3%
  • Columbus State 2%
  • % Black
  • Pensacola State 16%
  • Columbus State 37%
  • % Hispanic
  • Pensacola State 6%
  • Columbus State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Pensacola State 1%
  • Columbus State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Pensacola State 0%
  • Columbus State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Pensacola State 5%
  • Columbus State 2%
  • % International
  • Pensacola State 0%
  • Columbus State 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Pensacola State 2%
  • Columbus State 0%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Pensacola State 91%
  • Columbus State 92%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Pensacola State 4%
  • Columbus State 7%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Pensacola State No
  • Columbus State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Pensacola State No
  • Columbus State No
  • Meal Plan
  • Pensacola State No
  • Columbus State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Pensacola State No
  • Columbus State No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Pensacola State Yes
  • Columbus State No

Comparable Facts

Compare Pensacola State College in Pensacola, FL with Columbus State University in Columbus, GA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Pensacola State College is larger than Columbus State based on total student enrollment (9,491 students vs. 7,913 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Pensacola State College is located in Pensacola, FL (Small City setting); Columbus State University is in Columbus, GA (Midsize City setting).
  • Pensacola State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Columbus State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Pensacola State College 25:1; Columbus State University 16:1.

Pensacola State vs. Columbus State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pensacola State or Columbus State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pensacola State College than Columbus State ($5,376 vs. $12,420).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbus State University are 33.2% lower than at Pensacola State College ($11,720 vs. $17,556).
  • Columbus State University is 149.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pensacola State (about $3,537 more per year; $5,898.00 vs. $2,361.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 86.2% higher at Columbus State than at Pensacola State College (about $8,150 more per year; $17,610.00 vs. $9,460.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbus State University than at Pensacola State College (89% vs. 80%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbus State University students is 38.5% larger than aid received by Pensacola State College students ($9,003 vs. $6,499).

Pensacola State vs. Columbus State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Pensacola State or Columbus State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Columbus State and Pensacola State.

  • Pensacola State College reports an open admissions policy.
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsColumbus State University 800/1060.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsColumbus State University 16/22.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Pensacola State - Open admission; Columbus State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Pensacola State Aug 30, 2027; Columbus State Jun 30, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Columbus State students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.07) than students at Pensacola State (2.54).

Pensacola State vs. Columbus State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Pensacola State and Columbus State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn a median of about $7,100 more per year than Pensacola State graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,400 vs. $30,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Pensacola State College graduates have a $22,500 lower median loan debt than Columbus State graduates ($3,500 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers, Pensacola State graduates have an estimated $232 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Columbus State graduates ($36 vs. $268).
  • More Pensacola State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 37%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.