Public Associate Good 67/100

Columbus Technical College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Columbus, Georgia

About Columbus Technical College

Thinking about Columbus Technical College, a college in Georgia where more students graduate in Mechanics & Repair than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Columbus Technical College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Columbus, Georgia. It enrolls 2,719 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.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
22%
Net Price
$4,001
Median Earnings (10yr)
$34,238
Enrollment
2,719
Student : Faculty
14:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

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.

Good
67/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 11
Value 90
Affordability 84
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Columbus Technical 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 $4,001 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$4,001
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
57%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
0%
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)
$4,052
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,262
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,094
Books & Supplies
$600
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,476
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,144

Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)


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
    $3,383
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $4,543
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $6,170

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.

$1,255
10% percentile
$2,000
25% percentile
$8,756
Median percentile
$6,270
75% percentile
$10,351
90% 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
Dependent students $3,619 ↓ $5,137
Independent students $8,756 —
Female students $7,245 ↓ $1,511
Male students $6,329 ↓ $2,427
Dependent students: 13.9% (1,221 students)Independent students: 33.7% (2,955 students)Female students: 27.9% (2,445 students)Male students: 24.4% (2,136 students)Overall Median$8,756
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,270, close to what completers borrow ($8,756) but without the degree to show for it.

Graduation Rate & Retention

22% of students who start here finish within six years, and 51% 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
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
51%
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 $34,238 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)
$34,238
Earning > $25K
57%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$28,000$30,000$32,000$33,000$35,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$26,600

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$32,900

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $6,300, about 19% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means: Strong return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$8.6 of median earnings 10 years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,719 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 42% are the first in their family to go to college, and 68% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
2,719
Part-Time
68%
First-Generation
42%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 54.0% 1,468
White 28.7% 781
Hispanic 9.7% 264
Other 6.0% 162
Asian 0.9% 25
International 0.4% 10
Black: 54.0% (1,468 students)White: 28.7% (781 students)Hispanic: 9.7% (264 students)Other: 6.0% (162 students)Asian: 0.9% (25 students)International: 0.4% (10 students)Total2,719

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Columbus Technical College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Columbus, Georgia
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
45% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Predominantly Black Institution (PBI)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Health graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Columbus Technical College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 44 distinct programs across 14 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.

8 Programs
7 Programs
4 Programs
4 Programs
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,144
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$48,407
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

83 instructional faculty across 1 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
Instructors 83 100% $48,407

Pros & Cons of Columbus Technical College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Columbus Technical College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Open admissions
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Columbus Technical 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; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Columbus Technical College

The questions families ask most about Columbus Technical College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Columbus Technical College hard to get into?
Not especially. Columbus Technical 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 Columbus Technical 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 Columbus Technical College cost?
Budget around $4,001 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 Columbus Technical College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $34,238 a year against a net price of $4,001, about 8.6 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 Columbus Technical College known for?
Mostly Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic. 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 Columbus Technical College graduates earn?
About $34,238 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 Columbus Technical College accredited?
Yes. Columbus Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Columbus Technical College?
2,719 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Columbus Technical College?
22% 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 Columbus Technical College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Columbus Technical College located?
Columbus Technical College is located in Columbus, Georgia.
What programs does Columbus Technical College offer?
44 different programs, most commonly Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Nursing, Allied Health Diagnostic. 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 Columbus Technical College?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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