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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
Workable
Columbia lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $7,940 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $22,160, but the margin is not huge. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
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
$10,171
Median earnings 10 years out
$22,160
Median debt at graduation
$7,940
Graduation rate
75%
At Columbia, a typical graduate carries about $7,940 in student debt and earns roughly $22,160 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $90 per month, or 5% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Columbia is a two year school in Vienna, VA. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
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Blue Ridge Community
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Worth-It Score: 60/100
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2-year
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2-year
Advanced Technology Institute
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2-year
American National
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Worth-It Score: 53/100
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2-year
Central Virginia Community
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Worth-It Score: 61/100
Median net price: $6,928
Common questions about Columbia
The median net price at Columbia is $10,171 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.
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 →