Columbia State Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Columbia, Tennessee. It enrolls 3,897 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
65/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes18
Value90
Affordability61
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Columbia State Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Columbia State Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $4,734 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$4,734
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
30%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
5%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,296
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$18,112
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,200
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,990
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,179
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$4,083
$30,001 – $48,000
$4,125
$48,001 – $75,000
$5,995
$75,001 – $110,000
$5,706
Over $110,000
$6,252
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,38625%percentile
$8,500Medianpercentile
$13,13675%percentile
$24,21890%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $6,594
↓ $1,906
No Pell $5,250
↓ $3,250
Dependent students $5,464
↓ $3,036
Independent students $7,750
↓ $750
Female students $5,783
↓ $2,717
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,314, less than completers ($8,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
22% of full-time students who enrolled at Columbia State Community College graduate within six years, and 57% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
57%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Columbia State Community College earn a median of $40,256 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,256
Earning > $25K
66%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$30,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$42,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$31,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$41,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,400, about 27% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
13.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 76% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Columbia State Community College is home to 3,897 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 44% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
3,897
Part-Time
32%
First-Generation
44%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 70.5%2,746
Hispanic 12.4%484
Black 8.2%321
Other 4.6%180
Asian 2.1%82
International 0.7%29
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Columbia State Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: FringeColumbia, Tennessee
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
17%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Columbia State Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
16 distinct programs across
10 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia State Community College is 19:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,586
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$14M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$55,419
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
113 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
12
11%
$77,784
Associate Professors
40
35%
$63,257
Assistant Professors
25
22%
$51,598
Instructors
36
32%
$44,294
Pros & Cons of Columbia State Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Columbia State Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Class sizes are on the higher side
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Columbia State Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia State Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Columbia State Community College.
Is Columbia State Community College hard to get into?
Columbia State Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia State Community College?
Columbia State Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Columbia State Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Columbia State Community College is $4,734 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Columbia State Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,256 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $4,734 per year. That's roughly 8.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Columbia State Community College known for?
Columbia State Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Columbia State Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Columbia State Community College are $40,256, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Columbia State Community College accredited?
Yes. Columbia State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Columbia State Community College?
Columbia State Community College enrolls 3,897 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia State Community College?
Columbia State Community College graduates 22% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Columbia State Community College a public or private college?
Columbia State Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Columbia State Community College located?
Columbia State Community College is located in Columbia, Tennessee.
What programs does Columbia State Community College offer?
Columbia State Community College offers 16 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Business Administration.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia State Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia State Community College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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