Cumberland College vs. Columbia College

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

Cumberland College Columbia College
Location Williamsburg, KY Columbia, SC
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 18,053 1,514
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #952 #913
Religious Affiliation Baptist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucumberlands.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cumberland College Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $9,875 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $9,875 $21,250
Room & Board $9,300 $8,400
Avg Net Price $14,337 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $9,822 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

Cumberland College Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,314 2,176
Admitted 1,921 2,135
Acceptance Rate 83% 98.1%
Enrolled % 33.3% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 14/18
SAT Range 960/1160 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 Aug 31, 2025

Academics

Cumberland College Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

Cumberland College Columbia College
Graduation Rate 43% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,956 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $144 $261

Diversity

Cumberland College Columbia College
% Men 46% 15%
% Women 54% 85%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 55%
% Black 6% 34%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Cumberland College Columbia College
% In-State 65% 76%
% Out-of-State 28% 22%

Campus

Cumberland 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

  • University of the Cumberlands is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (18,053 students vs. 1,514 students)

Cumberland College vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

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

  • Columbia College is 115.2% more expensive to attend than Cumberland College for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 115.2% higher at Columbia College than University of the Cumberlands ($21,250.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the Cumberlands than Columbia College ($14,337 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 10.7% lower than costs at University of the Cumberlands ($8,400 vs. $9,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Cumberlands than Columbia College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 63.8% larger than aid received University of the Cumberlands ($16,089 vs. $9,822)

Cumberland College vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of the Cumberlands (1022) is 51 points higher than at Columbia College (971)
  • Incoming Cumberland College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Columbia College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Cumberland College (3.47)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Cumberland College (83%)

Cumberland College vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cumberland 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 Cumberland College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than University of the Cumberlands (50% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from University of the Cumberlands earn on average $2,000 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $34,700)
  • University of the Cumberlands students graduate with a $11,308 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($13,956 vs. $25,264)
  • Cumberland College graduates are paying $117 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($144 vs. $261)
  • More Cumberland College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 43%)

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