Columbia College vs. Centra College

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

 Columbia College Centra College
Location Columbia, SC Lynchburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 1,514 227
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #913
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu centrahealth.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Centra College
Tuition (In State) $21,250 $9,240
Tuition (Out of State) $21,250 $9,240
Room & Board $8,400 $9,406
Avg Net Price $18,779 $28,418
Avg Grant Aid $16,089 $6,495
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 Columbia College Centra College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,176 15
Admitted 2,135 6
Acceptance Rate 98.1% 40%
Enrolled % 8.9% 50%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 -
Typical High School Grades 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 Centra College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Centra College
Graduation Rate 50% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $12,042
Median Loan Payment $261 $124

Diversity

 Columbia College Centra College
% Men 15% 13%
% Women 85% 87%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 65%
% Black 34% 35%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Columbia College Centra College
% In-State 76% 100%
% Out-of-State 22% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than Centra College based on total student enrollment (1,514 students vs. 227 students)

Columbia College vs. Centra College Cost Comparison

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

  • Columbia College is 130% more expensive to attend than Centra College for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 130% higher at Columbia College than Centra College ($21,250.00 vs. $9,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than Centra College ($18,779 vs. $28,418)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 12% lower than costs at Centra College ($8,400 vs. $9,406)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centra College than Columbia College (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 147.7% larger than aid received Centra College ($16,089 vs. $6,495)

Columbia College vs. Centra College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Centra College (40%)

Columbia College vs. Centra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Centra College earn on average $10,100 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $34,700)
  • Centra College students graduate with a $13,222 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($12,042 vs. $25,264)
  • Centra College graduates are paying $137 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($124 vs. $261)
  • More Centra College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 43%)

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