Regional university
Columbus State University
Columbus, GA · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $13,115 a year
Median debt at graduation: $26,000 (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.42%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.70%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 977 · ACT 19
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$7,245
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: $21,676 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) | 6,008 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 33% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 7% |
| Total students | 7,610 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $13,115 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $21,676 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 42% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 36% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 38% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 38% |
| First-year retention | 70% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $44,544 |
| Admission rate | 99% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $40 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $939 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 45% |
| Average SAT | 977 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 440–530 |
| SAT math | 360–530 |
| ACT composite | 16–22 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (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 |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Finance | |
| Management information systems | |
| Accounting | |
| Political science | |
| Business (general) | |
| Marketing | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Business administration | |
| Communication studies | |
| Secondary education | |
| Biology | |
| Teacher education | |
| Health sciences | |
| Sociology | |
| English | |
| Psychology | |
| Fine arts | |
| Theatre | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Chemistry, General studies, History, Information technology, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Romance languages, Special education, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Health professions | |
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Visual and performing arts |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 28% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 24% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $11,720 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Peach Belt Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 59%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $16,527IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 23% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)About 84 miles away · about 1 hour 55 minutes by car |
| Town population | 203,711Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | AtlantaAbout 92 miles away · about 2 hours 5 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 49°F in January · 83°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Columbus Metro Airport, GA |
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 | 0.32 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.06 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 1.26 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.44 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.06 | 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 Columbus State University’s Compass Score?
- Solid (grade C+). 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 Columbus State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $13,115 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 hard is it to get into Columbus State University?
- Columbus State University admitted 99% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Columbus State University’s graduates do?
- 42% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $44,544; the median federal debt at graduation is $26,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 139366
- 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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Colleges like this one
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