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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 $22,715 in yearly net price and $23,879 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $45,378. For context, Columbia's net price is about 1% below 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
$22,655
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $182 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $1,000 in savings.
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
$22,715
Median earnings 10 years out
$45,378
Median debt at graduation
$23,879
Graduation rate
44%
At Columbia, a typical graduate carries about $23,879 in student debt and earns roughly $45,378 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $272 per month, or 7% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Columbia is a private nonprofit four year school in Columbia, MO. 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
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Fayette, MO
Worth-It Score: 48/100
Median net price: $22,766
Private nonprofit 4-year
Hannibal-LaGrange
Hannibal, MO
Worth-It Score: 41/100
Median net price: $22,814
Private nonprofit 4-year
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Kansas City, MO
Worth-It Score: 53/100
Median net price: $23,006
Private nonprofit 4-year
Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO
Worth-It Score: 68/100
Median net price: $22,066
Private nonprofit 4-year
Stephens
Columbia, MO
Worth-It Score: 37/100
Median net price: $23,459
Common questions about Columbia
The median net price at Columbia is $22,715 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 Missouri? See the most affordable private colleges in Missouri →
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 →