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Is Columbia College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Columbia, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
Columbia lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $18,408 in yearly net price and $22,750 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $41,338. For context, Columbia's net price is about 5% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. This does not make the school wrong for every student, but it does mean the price deserves a closer test.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$23,920
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $1,083 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $4,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is manageable, but it makes the aid offer matter a lot.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$18,408
Median earnings 10 years out
$41,338
Median debt at graduation
$22,750
Graduation rate
45%
At Columbia, a typical graduate carries about $22,750 in student debt and earns roughly $41,338 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $259 per month, or 8% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $462 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
69% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Columbia is a private nonprofit four year school in Columbia, SC. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Benedict
Columbia, SC
Worth-It Score: 26/100
Median net price: $18,250
Private nonprofit 4-year
Wofford
Spartanburg, SC
Worth-It Score: 82/100
Median net price: $18,732
Private nonprofit 4-year
Claflin
Orangeburg, SC
Worth-It Score: 46/100
Median net price: $17,800
Private nonprofit 4-year
Coker
Hartsville, SC
Worth-It Score: 37/100
Median net price: $20,286
Private nonprofit 4-year
Presbyterian
Clinton, SC
Worth-It Score: 62/100
Median net price: $20,528
Common questions about Columbia
The median net price at Columbia is $18,408 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in South Carolina? See the most affordable private colleges in South Carolina →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →