Columbia College vs. CU

Deciding between Columbia College and Cumberland University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Cumberland University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia College Columbia, SC
  • CU Lebanon, TN
  • Setting
  • Columbia College Midsize City
  • CU Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia College 1,725
  • CU 3,457
  • Type
  • Columbia College Private 4 Year
  • CU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia College #937
  • CU
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia College United Methodist
  • CU -
  • Status
  • Columbia College Non-profit
  • CU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia College
  • CU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia College $22,214
  • CU $27,840
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia College $22,214
  • CU $27,840
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia College $9,390
  • CU $12,800
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia College $18,790
  • CU $18,499
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia College $16,451
  • CU $24,703
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia College 97%
  • CU 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia College 2,634
  • CU 2,495
  • Admitted
  • Columbia College 2,474
  • CU 1,680
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia College 93.9%
  • CU 67.3%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia College 8.5%
  • CU 40.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia College 1000
  • CU
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia College 16
  • CU
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia College 3.56
  • CU 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia College A-
  • CU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia College Extremely Easy
  • CU Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia College
  • CU Low
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia College 14/18
  • CU
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia College 850/1140
  • CU
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia College Test-free
  • CU Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia College
  • CU

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia College 12:1
  • CU 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia College
    • Education (20%)
    • Psychology (12%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Human Services (9%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • CU
    • Health Professions (46%)
    • Business (15%)
    • Education (14%)
    • Biology (4%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia College 50%
  • CU 34%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia College $34,700
  • CU $39,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia College 43%
  • CU 60%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia College $25,264
  • CU $21,729
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia College $261
  • CU $224

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia College 19%
  • CU 47%
  • % Women
  • Columbia College 81%
  • CU 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia College High
  • CU Low
  • HBCU
  • Columbia College No
  • CU No
  • % White
  • Columbia College 55%
  • CU 63%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia College 1%
  • CU 1%
  • % Black
  • Columbia College 34%
  • CU 12%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia College 4%
  • CU 3%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia College 1%
  • CU 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia College 0%
  • CU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia College 3%
  • CU 0%
  • % International
  • Columbia College 2%
  • CU 4%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia College 1%
  • CU 16%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia College 83%
  • CU 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia College 14%
  • CU 8%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Columbia College Yes
  • CU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Columbia College No
  • CU No
  • Meal Plan
  • Columbia College Yes
  • CU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Columbia College Yes
  • CU No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Columbia College No
  • CU No

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College in Columbia, SC with Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cumberland University is larger than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (3,457 students vs. 1,725 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia College is located in Columbia, SC (Midsize City setting); Cumberland University is in Lebanon, TN (Distant Town setting).
  • Columbia College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cumberland University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College 12:1; Cumberland University 19:1.

Columbia College vs. CU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or CU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cumberland University than Columbia College ($18,499 vs. $18,790).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 26.6% lower than at Cumberland University ($9,390 vs. $12,800).
  • Cumberland University is 25.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbia College (about $5,626 more per year; $27,840.00 vs. $22,214.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 25.3% higher at CU than at Columbia College (about $5,626 more per year; $27,840.00 vs. $22,214.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cumberland University than at Columbia College (100% vs. 97%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 50.2% larger than aid received by Columbia College students ($24,703 vs. $16,451).

Columbia College vs. CU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or CU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CU and Columbia College.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Columbia College 850/1140.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Columbia College 14/18.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia College - Test-free; CU - Test-free.
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at CU (3.3).
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than CU (67.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8.5% at Columbia College vs. 40.5% at CU.

Columbia College vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia College and CU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Columbia College's six-year graduation rate (50%) is higher than Cumberland University's (34%).
  • Graduates from Cumberland University earn a median of about $5,200 more per year than Columbia College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,900 vs. $34,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Cumberland University graduates have a $3,535 lower median loan debt than Columbia College graduates ($21,729 vs. $25,264).
  • Among borrowers, CU graduates have an estimated $37 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Columbia College graduates ($224 vs. $261).
  • More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 43%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.