Columbia College vs. Bluefield College

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

 Columbia College Bluefield College
Location Columbia, SC Bluefield, VA
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 1,514 991
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #913
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu bluefield.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Bluefield College
Tuition (In State) $21,250 $27,600
Tuition (Out of State) $21,250 $27,600
Room & Board $8,400 $9,684
Avg Net Price $18,779 $22,904
Avg Grant Aid $16,089 $18,596
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 Columbia College Bluefield College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,176 984
Admitted 2,135 620
Acceptance Rate 98.1% 63%
Enrolled % 8.9% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18
SAT Range 850/1140
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Columbia College Bluefield College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Business (42%)
  • Psychology (21%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • General Studies (4%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Bluefield College
Graduation Rate 50% 36%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $20,834
Median Loan Payment $261 $215

Diversity

 Columbia College Bluefield College
% Men 15% 46%
% Women 85% 54%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 65%
% Black 34% 22%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Columbia College Bluefield College
% In-State 76% 66%
% Out-of-State 22% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than Bluefield College based on total student enrollment (1,514 students vs. 991 students)

Columbia College vs. Bluefield College Cost Comparison

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

  • Bluefield College is 29.9% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($27,600.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.9% higher at Bluefield College than Columbia College ($27,600.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than Bluefield College ($18,779 vs. $22,904)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 15.3% lower than costs at Bluefield College ($8,400 vs. $9,684)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bluefield College than Columbia College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bluefield College students is 15.6% larger than aid received Columbia College ($18,596 vs. $16,089)

Columbia College vs. Bluefield College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 48 points higher than at Bluefield College (923)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Bluefield College (20)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Bluefield College (3.31)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Bluefield College (63%)

Columbia College vs. Bluefield College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Bluefield College (50% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from Bluefield College earn on average $11,000 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $34,700)
  • Bluefield College students graduate with a $4,430 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($20,834 vs. $25,264)
  • Bluefield College graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($215 vs. $261)
  • More Bluefield College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 43%)

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