Regional university
Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, AL · Private for-profit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $14,580 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,339 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.33%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.71%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.Not reported
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.37 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$1,191
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $18,226 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 13,111 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 64% · Women 36% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 54% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 85% |
| Total students | 18,487 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,580 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $18,226 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,339 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 33% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 34% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 37% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 43% |
| First-year retention | 71% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $63,534 |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 24% |
Value: Excellent · Top 13% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Allied health | |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | |
| Fire science | |
| Natural resources and conservation | |
| Information technology | |
| Homeland Security | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Business administration | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Human resources | |
| Health administration | |
| Counseling and mental health |
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Criminal justice and security | |
| Business | |
| Engineering technologies | |
| Health professions | |
| Computer and information sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 34% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 92% |
| Students per faculty member | 37 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 40%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Pensacola International Airport (PNS)About 30 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 8,4072020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New OrleansAbout 138 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 50°F1991–2020 normal, from ROBERTSDALE, AL US, about 17 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 81°F1991–2020 normal, from ROBERTSDALE, AL US, about 17 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Columbia Southern University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B-). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Columbia Southern University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $14,580 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How do Columbia Southern University’s graduates do?
- 33% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $63,534; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,339.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 450933
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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