by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending Columbia College, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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The full cost of attending Columbia College amounts to about $37,136.00 per year.
Below, the published cost is shown three ways — the full sticker price with no aid, the net price after the average grant package, and the net price for low-income students who typically receive the most aid.
| Tuition and fees | $25,826.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $11,310.00 |
| Total cost | $37,136.00 |
| That is 13% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $37,136.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$14,492.00 |
| Net price | $22,644.00 |
| That is 31% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $37,136.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$13,240.00 |
| Net price | $23,896.00 |
| That is 27% below the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on tuition and fees and room and board. |
Published costs have climbed year over year by roughly 2.7% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. The repayment figures use a ten-year loan at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Freshman year | $24,550.00 | $23,263.00 | $38,152.00 |
| Senior year | $26,619.00 | $25,225.00 | $41,368.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $102,301.00 | $96,941.00 | $158,982.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $38,973.00 | $36,931.00 | $60,566.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,177.00 | $1,116.00 | $1,830.00 |
| Total amount paid | $141,273.00 | $133,872.00 | $219,549.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Freshman year | $24,550.00 | $23,263.00 | $38,152.00 |
| Senior year | $25,221.00 | $23,900.00 | $39,195.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $49,771.00 | $47,163.00 | $77,347.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $18,961.00 | $17,967.00 | $29,466.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $573.00 | $543.00 | $890.00 |
| Total amount paid | $68,731.00 | $65,130.00 | $106,813.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the net-price section.
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the published sticker price. This is the more honest cost figure for most families, since it accounts for institutional and federal aid.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $22,715.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $24,051.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $26,212.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $21,960.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $24,477.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,728.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $21,856.00 |
Run your own numbers with the Columbia College Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
Typical debt at graduation from Columbia College amounts to $14,750.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-load classification.
The full distribution of debt at graduation looks like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $2,346.00 |
| 25th | $4,793.00 |
| Median (50th) | $14,750.00 |
| 75th | $28,689.00 |
| 90th | $44,917.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt detail.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,250.00 |
| Middle income | $15,750.00 |
| High income | $14,289.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,900.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,250.00 |
First-gen borrowers at Columbia College hold $650.00 more debt than continuing-generation students.
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. Comparing Pell recipients vs non-recipients shows how debt is distributed by need.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at Columbia College works out to $3,250.00. The Department of Education flags this school for a Pell-debt-inequity pattern.
The federal default-rate classification for Columbia College is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 8.6% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at Columbia College add up to $1,362,237,281.00 covering 55,748 loan recipients.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 1,142 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $6,110.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 1,348 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $2,302.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the college veterans page.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through Columbia College, keep these questions in mind:
Dig further into the cost picture with the related pages below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.