Columbia College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Columbia, Missouri. It enrolls 4,950 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
62/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes64
Value26
Affordability41
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Columbia College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $22,715 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$25,826
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,552
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,552
Books & Supplies
$480
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,248
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,248
Total Cost of Attendance
$37,207
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
$23,967
$30,001 – $48,000
$21,168
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,550
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,015
Over $110,000
$21,545
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.
$2,34610%percentile
$4,79325%percentile
$23,879Medianpercentile
$28,68975%percentile
$44,91790%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 $15,750
↓ $8,129
No Pell $12,500
↓ $11,379
Dependent students $12,474
↓ $11,405
Independent students $15,750
↓ $8,129
Female students $15,250
↓ $8,629
Male students $13,780
↓ $10,099
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,000, less than completers ($23,879), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
26% of students who start here finish within six years, and 72% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
26%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
72%
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
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $45,378 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$45,378
Earning > $25K
72%
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
$37,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$53,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$36,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$49,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $15,900, about 30% 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 ↑
22.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 4,950 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 49% are the first in their family to go to college, and 50% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
4,950
Part-Time
50%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 53.0%2,625
Black 21.1%1,044
Hispanic 12.0%594
Other 7.2%358
International 3.4%169
Asian 1.9%96
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Columbia College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Columbia College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
50 distinct programs across
18 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.
There are 20 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$242M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$75,302
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
67 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
14
21%
$84,708
Associate Professors
20
30%
$80,449
Assistant Professors
25
37%
$69,258
Instructors
8
12%
$64,859
Pros & Cons of Columbia College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Columbia College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Columbia College is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Columbia College
The questions families ask most about Columbia College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
How much does Columbia College cost?
Budget around $22,715 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Columbia College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $45,378 a year against a net price of $22,715, about 2.0 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Columbia College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Business. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Columbia College graduates earn?
About $45,378 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Columbia College accredited?
Yes. Columbia College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Columbia College?
4,950 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia College?
26% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Columbia College a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Columbia College located?
Columbia College is located in Columbia, Missouri.
What programs does Columbia College offer?
50 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Business. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Columbia College?
20 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Missouri
Other colleges in Missouri share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Business Administration
Psychology
Teacher Education (K-12)
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