PrivateUrbanColumbia College
Columbia, South Carolina 29203
Data last updated: August 29, 2026
Known for business — close-knit campus
Columbia College is a private institution in Columbia with particular strength in business and health sciences.
A small campus of 1.2K undergraduates with a 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The urban location puts students at the center of city life.
53% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $41,338 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $23,650.
More About This School
History & Fun Facts
- •The college chose Samuel Johnson to be its first president.
- •He was also the college's first (and for a time only) professor.
- •Park Place Campus By 1760, Columbia had relocated from the Trinity Church site to one along Park Place, near the city commons and today's New York City Hall.
- •Hamilton's first experience with the military came while a student during the summer of 1775, after the outbreak of fighting at Boston.
- •In August 1775, while under fire from HMS Asia, the Hearts of Oak (the "Corsicans") participated in a successful raid to seize cannon from the Battery, becoming an artillery unit thereafter.
Source: Wikipedia
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Admissions
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.
Deadline Calendar
Typical Application Requirements
Cost & Financial Aid
Sticker Price
Net Price by Family Income
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.
Debt & Aid Detail
Net Price Trend
Tuition Trend
Graduate w/ Zero Debt
30.0%
Avg Tuition Increase
2.2%/yr
Median Debt at Grad
$14,750
Programs (65)
Outcomes
Median Earnings After Graduation
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.
Student Life
Student Satisfaction
Retention Rate
53%
Student Body
Race & Ethnicity
Campus Safety
Total Incidents (2024)
8
Peer Average
13
3-Year Trend
Emergency System
Campus security, emergency notification system
Incident Breakdown (2024)
Burglary
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Motor Vehicle Theft
Sex Offenses
Arson
Drug Arrests
Liquor Arrests
Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).
Location & Lifestyle
Cost of Living
Estimated from MO state average + city premium