Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at Columbia College, we project that on average students will pay $25,574, while the advertised price of attendance is $43,244. That’s a difference of $17,670.
| Year | Net in-state price at Columbia College | In-state sticker price at Columbia College |
|---|---|---|
| 25-26 | $25,574 | $43,244 |
| 24-25 | $24,264 | $41,029 |
| 23-24 | $23,022 | $38,928 |
| 22-23 | $22,655 | $38,308 |
| 21-22 | $22,824 | $37,364 |
| 20-21 | $24,559 | $38,634 |
| 19-20 | $25,954 | $37,554 |
| 18-19 | $25,065 | $36,352 |
| 17-18 | $22,306 | $34,208 |
| 16-17 | $23,062 | $32,178 |
| 15-16 | $27,020 | $21,152 |
| 14-15 | $15,468 | $21,159 |
| 13-14 | $11,031 | $21,833 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At Columbia College this year, we project students with incomes below $30K will pay around $29,589, while students with incomes between $75K and $110K will pay around $24,528. That's a difference of $5,062.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at Columbia College |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $29,589 |
| $30K-$48K | $24,790 |
| $48K-$75K | $27,631 |
| $75K-$110K | $24,528 |
| >$110K | $24,672 |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At Columbia College, over the last five years 38% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at Columbia College.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at Columbia College | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 30% | 31% |
| Asian | 50% | 45% |
| Black | 20% | 34% |
| Hispanic | 28% | 41% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 28% |
| White | 45% | 50% |
| Multiple races | 38% | 37% |
| Unknown race | 40% | 37% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at Columbia College, about 66% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. Columbia College has 8,729 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of private, 4-year schools.
About 58% of students are female.
And about 52% of students are white.