Quad

Head-to-head

Shorter
Columbia International

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Columbia International graduates 33 pts more of its students than Shorter (75% vs. 42%)

    Graduation rate
  2. 2

    Shorter's grants cover 51% of its full price on average, vs. 37% at Columbia International

    Aid generosity
  3. 3

    Shorter costs about $9K less per year on average than Columbia International ($18,326 vs. $27,329, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  4. 4

    Shorter has 11 pts more first-gen students than Columbia International (35% vs. 24%)

    First-generation students
  5. 5

    Shorter grads earn $5.7K more ten years out than Columbia International's ($44,604 vs. $38,951)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  6. 6

    Shorter is a bit larger (1,028 vs. 716)

    Undergrads

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Columbia International admits 94%, Shorter 96%; Columbia International's yield is higher, at 35%.

Acceptance rate
Shorter96%
Columbia International94%
Quad's selectivity
  • ShorterOpen
  • Columbia InternationalOpen
SAT middle 50%Axis 900–1600
Shorter
1040–1200
Columbia InternationalNot reported
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • ShorterGPA and school record required
  • Columbia InternationalGPA required

Who's on each campus

Shorter is a bit larger than Columbia International (1,028 vs. 716 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Shorter1K
Columbia International716
Pell Grant share
Shorter38%
Columbia International34%

Majors and faculty

Business Administration and Management leads at both; Columbia International has 13 students per faculty member to Shorter's 14.

Students per faculty member
Shorter14 to 1
Columbia International13 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • ShorterBusiness Administration and Management, General23%
  • Columbia InternationalBusiness Administration and Management, General25%

What each costs

Shorter costs about $9K less a year than Columbia International on average, and its grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Shorter$18.3K
Columbia International$27.3K
Aid generosity
Shorter51%
Columbia International37%

What each pays off

Shorter's former students earn more, a median $44.6K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 75% at Columbia International to 42% at Shorter.

Median earnings, 10 years
Shorter$44.6K
Columbia International$39K
Graduation rate
Shorter42%
Columbia International75%

How each has changed

Applications fell at both; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • ShorterShrinking−39%
  • Columbia InternationalShrinking−27%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why