Columbus State vs. South Carolina State University

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

Columbus State South Carolina State University
Location Columbus, GA Orangeburg, SC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 7,479 2,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #1011
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu scsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State South Carolina State University
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $9,528
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $20,218
Room & Board $12,080 $9,000
Avg Net Price $12,902 $17,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $15,873
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 96%

Admission

Columbus State South Carolina State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 6,833
Admitted 3,398 5,733
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 83.9%
Enrolled % 30.4% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 15/19
SAT Range 900/1130 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jun 30, 2024 Jul 31, 2024

Academics

Columbus State South Carolina State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

Columbus State South Carolina State University
Graduation Rate 31% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $33,205
Median Loan Payment $268 $343

Diversity

Columbus State South Carolina State University
% Men 40% 44%
% Women 60% 56%
Racial Diversity High Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 51% 2%
% Black 37% 96%
% Hispanic 6% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Columbus State South Carolina State University
% In-State 92% 77%
% Out-of-State 5% 23%

Campus

Columbus State South Carolina State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbus State University is larger than than South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 2,649 students)

Columbus State vs. South Carolina State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or South Carolina State University?

  • South Carolina State University is 118% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($9,528.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.1% higher at South Carolina State University than Columbus State University ($20,218.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than South Carolina State University ($12,902 vs. $17,435)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 34.2% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($9,000 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus State University than South Carolina State University (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 73.5% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($15,873 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. South Carolina State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbus State University (961) is 201 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming Columbus State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman South Carolina State University students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than South Carolina State University (83.9%)

Columbus State vs. South Carolina State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or South Carolina State University? 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 South Carolina State University and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at South Carolina State University is higher than Columbus State University (35% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Columbus State University earn on average $6,400 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($37,400 vs. $31,000)
  • Columbus State University students graduate with a $7,205 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($26,000 vs. $33,205)
  • Columbus State graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($268 vs. $343)
  • More Columbus State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 27%)

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