Columbia College is a private for-profit institution offering associate degrees based in Vienna, Virginia. It enrolls 151 students (a very small, intimate 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 (2-Year), 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.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes89
Value31
Affordability49
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Columbia College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
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 $10,171 a year on average, it sits below what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
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
$10,042
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,246
$48,001 – $75,000
$11,163
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.
$2,10825%percentile
$7,940Medianpercentile
$7,72375%percentile
What this means:
34% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of students who start here finish within six years, and 81% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. 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
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
81%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $22,160 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$22,160
Earning > $25K
39%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
What this means:
Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$2.2 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 151 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 65% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
151
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
65%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
International 55.6%84
Asian 24.5%37
White 15.9%24
Hispanic 2.0%3
Black 2.0%3
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
a focused set of programs:
7 distinct programs across
6 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.
For-profit institution, verify accreditation and outcomes carefully
Best for:
Based on the data, Columbia College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
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.
Is Columbia College hard to get into?
Not especially. Columbia College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Columbia College cost?
Budget around $10,171 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 $22,160 a year against a net price of $10,171, about 2.2 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 Computer Science, Culinary Arts, Business Administration. 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 $22,160 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 Council on Occupational Education.
How many students attend Columbia College?
151 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia College?
69% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Columbia College a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is Columbia College located?
Columbia College is located in Vienna, Virginia.
What programs does Columbia College offer?
7 different programs, most commonly Computer Science, Culinary Arts, Business Administration. 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?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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