WSSU vs. Columbia College

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

 WSSU Columbia College
Location Winston-Salem, NC Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,004 1,514
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #913
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu columbiasc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $21,250
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $21,250
Room & Board $11,220 $8,400
Avg Net Price $14,097 $18,779
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $16,089
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 97%

Admission

 WSSU Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 2,176
Admitted 5,598 2,135
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 98.1%
Enrolled % 15.3% 8.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.56
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 14/18
SAT Range 830/1050 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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 WSSU Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 WSSU Columbia College
Graduation Rate 41% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $34,700
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $25,264
Median Loan Payment $265 $261

Diversity

 WSSU Columbia College
% Men 24% 15%
% Women 76% 85%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 55%
% Black 72% 34%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 WSSU Columbia College
% In-State 82% 76%
% Out-of-State 16% 22%

Campus

 WSSU Columbia College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 1,514 students)

WSSU vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or Columbia College?

  • Columbia College is 524.8% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.2% higher at Columbia College than Winston Salem State University ($21,250.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than Columbia College ($14,097 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 33.6% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($8,400 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College than Winston Salem State University (97% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 92.7% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($16,089 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 101 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU 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 WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Winston Salem State University (50% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Winston Salem State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($35,700 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $399 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($25,264 vs. $25,663)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($261 vs. $265)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 33%)

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