Quad

Columbia College

Columbia, SCQuad's selectivityOpen
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Columbia admits about 9 in 10 applicants (94%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 14% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

94%

94%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

2,634

Admitted

2,474

Yield

9%

of admits enroll

Applications +527% since fall 2014 · admit rate 79% → 94%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,343 undergrads, where 54% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

1.3K

undergrads · larger than 46% of colleges

Diversity index

0.68

Pell Grant

54%

above the median

First generation

41%

above the median

Midsize cityNAIA · Appalachian Athletic ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.60 → 0.68 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (13% of graduates). 12 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 59% of colleges. 34% of faculty are full-time. Spends $7,242 a year on instruction per student.

12 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 59% of colleges

Most popular major

Criminal Justice/Safety Studies

13% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Homeland Security

$71.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

34%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$7.2K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $19,877 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $4.4K less than the national median. The 97% who received grants paid $18,790 on average; the other 3% paid the full sticker price of $35,900.

45%

$19.9K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $4.4K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$35,900 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
11% · avg $13K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 45% of full price

Federal loans

65%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −9% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $41,338 ten years after enrolling, more than at 16% of colleges; 52% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.9 years of that salary.

52%

52%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$41.3K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.8K

≈ $241/month for 10 years

Retention

60%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 47% → 37% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 31% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 9%, as grants covered less of it. Applications rose 527% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 79% to 94%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −9% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +527%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 79% → 94%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.60 → 0.68

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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1.1K undergrads

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Mid-America Christian University

92% admit · 1.7K undergrads

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Southern Nazarene University

1.5K undergrads

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Concordia University-Chicago

93% admit · 1.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso private
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Columbia College (2026)

    Columbia College · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 217934 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything