Columbia College vs. Bluefield State College

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

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
Location Columbia, SC Bluefield, WV
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,514 1,306
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #913 #986
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu bluefieldstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
Tuition (In State) $21,250 $8,840
Tuition (Out of State) $21,250 $16,030
Room & Board $8,400 $10,200
Avg Net Price $18,779 $11,759
Avg Grant Aid $16,089 $10,160
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 96%

Admission

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,176 813
Admitted 2,135 790
Acceptance Rate 98.1% 97.2%
Enrolled % 8.9% 33.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18 17/22
SAT Range 850/1140 870/1080
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 1, 2024

Academics

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (16%)
  • Engineering Technology (16%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
Graduation Rate 50% 22%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $31,800
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $19,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $196

Diversity

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
% Men 15% 40%
% Women 85% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 55% 85%
% Black 34% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Columbia College Bluefield State College
% In-State 76% 54%
% Out-of-State 22% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than Bluefield State College based on total student enrollment (1,514 students vs. 1,306 students)

Columbia College vs. Bluefield State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Bluefield State College?

  • Columbia College is 140.4% more expensive to attend than Bluefield State College for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.6% higher at Columbia College than Bluefield State College ($21,250.00 vs. $16,030.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bluefield State College than Columbia College ($11,759 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 21.4% lower than costs at Bluefield State College ($8,400 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College than Bluefield State College (97% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 58.4% larger than aid received Bluefield State College ($16,089 vs. $10,160)

Columbia College vs. Bluefield State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 37 points higher than at Bluefield State College (934)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bluefield State College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Bluefield State College (3.41)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Bluefield State College (97.2%)

Columbia College vs. Bluefield State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Bluefield State 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 Bluefield State College and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Bluefield State College (50% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College earn on average $2,900 more per year than Bluefield State College graduates after ten years. ($34,700 vs. $31,800)
  • Bluefield State College students graduate with a $6,264 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($19,000 vs. $25,264)
  • Bluefield State College graduates are paying $65 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($196 vs. $261)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bluefield State College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 30%)

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