Pensacola State vs. Columbus State

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

 Pensacola State Columbus State
Location Pensacola, FL Columbus, GA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,981 7,479
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pensacolastate.edu columbusstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Pensacola State Columbus State
Tuition (In State) $1,888 $4,371
Tuition (Out of State) $7,551 $15,425
Room & Board $9,486 $12,080
Avg Net Price $3,305 $12,902
Avg Grant Aid $5,663 $9,147
% Receiving Grant Aid 67% 98%

Admission

 Pensacola State Columbus State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 3,870
Admitted - 3,398
Acceptance Rate Open 87.8%
Enrolled % Open 30.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.54 3.07
Typical High School Grades C+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23
SAT Range 900/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 30, 2025 Jun 30, 2025

Academics

 Pensacola State Columbus State
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
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 (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Pensacola State Columbus State
% Men 36% 40%
% Women 64% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 51%
% Black 16% 37%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Pensacola State Columbus State
% In-State 94% 92%
% Out-of-State 5% 5%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Pensacola State College is larger than than Columbus State based on total student enrollment (7,981 students vs. 7,479 students)

Pensacola State vs. Columbus State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pensacola State or Columbus State?

  • Columbus State University is 131.5% more expensive to attend than Pensacola State for in-state tuition ($4,371.00 vs. $1,888.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.3% higher at Columbus State than Pensacola State College ($15,425.00 vs. $7,551.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pensacola State College than Columbus State ($3,305 vs. $12,902)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pensacola State College are 27.3% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($9,486 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than Pensacola State College (98% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbus State University students is 61.5% larger than aid received Pensacola State College ($9,147 vs. $5,663)

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

  • 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

Which is better, Pensacola State 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 Pensacola State.

  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $7,100 more per year than Pensacola State graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $30,300)
  • Pensacola State College students graduate with a $22,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($3,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Pensacola State graduates are paying $232 less per month on federal student loans 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/