Union College vs. Columbia College

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

 Union College Columbia College
Location Barbourville, KY Columbia, SC
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 970 1,514
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #913
Religious Affiliation United Methodist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unionky.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Union College Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $28,737 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $28,737 $21,250
Room & Board $8,261 $8,400
Avg Net Price $18,221 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $23,168 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 97%

Admission

 Union College Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,142 2,176
Admitted 610 2,135
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 98.1%
Enrolled % 32.8% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.15 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/22 14/18
SAT Range 955/1148 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

Academics

 Union College Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (24%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Union College Columbia College
Graduation Rate 32% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,800 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $248 $261

Diversity

 Union College Columbia College
% Men 57% 15%
% Women 43% 85%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 55%
% Black 12% 34%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 8% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Union College Columbia College
% In-State 58% 76%
% Out-of-State 28% 22%

Campus

 Union 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 Union College based on total student enrollment (1,514 students vs. 970 students)

Union College vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

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

  • Union College is 35.2% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($28,737.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.2% higher at Union College than Columbia College ($28,737.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Union College than Columbia College ($18,221 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Union College are 1.7% lower than costs at Columbia College ($8,261 vs. $8,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Columbia College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 44% larger than aid received Columbia College ($23,168 vs. $16,089)

Union College vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 1 points higher than at Union College (970)
  • Incoming Union College students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Columbia College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Union College (3.15)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Union College (53.4%)

Union College vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union 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 Union College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Union College (50% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $100 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($34,800 vs. $34,700)
  • Union College students graduate with a $1,264 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,264)
  • Union College graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($248 vs. $261)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Union College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 42%)

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