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Columbus State University: Rankings, Admissions, Cost & Majors

11 awards Ranking Badges
Fair Price Value for Your Money
99% Acceptance Rate

Columbus State University is a public institution in Columbus, Georgia enrolling 5,625 undergraduates. It accepts 99% of applicants and has an on-time graduation rate of 42%, above the national average of 33%. College Factual ranks it #1,978 of 5,159 colleges nationwide in its 2027 Best Colleges ranking (top 38%), and its Value for Your Money analysis rates it a Fair Price.

Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.

How Is Columbus State University Ranked?

Columbus State University ranks #1,978 of 5,159 colleges nationwide in College Factual’s 2027 Best Colleges ranking, placing it in the top 38%.

#1,978 Best Colleges in Nation
#38 Best Colleges in GA
Columbus State University ranking badge

2027 Rankings

College Factual recognizes the best colleges and universities in its annual rankings. These rankings include categories for best overall colleges, best colleges for each major, best value schools, and much more.

Columbus State University was awarded 11 badges in the 2027 rankings.

Overall Quality

CSU, Columbus State is ranked #1,978 out of 5,159 schools in the nation for overall quality on College Factual’s 2027 Best Colleges list.

Within the state, CSU, Columbus State holds the #38 spot on the Best Colleges in Georgia ranking.

See all of the rankings for Columbus State University.

Is It Hard to Get Into Columbus State University?

99% Acceptance Rate
99% Of Accepted Are Women
14% Submit SAT Scores

Acceptance Rate

Columbus State University has an acceptance rate of 99%, so it is easier to gain admission to this school than some others. Still, the admissions staff will examine your application closely to make sure you’re a good fit for CSU, Columbus State.

Average Test Scores

About 14% of students accepted to CSU, Columbus State submitted their SAT scores. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores ranged between 440 and 530. Math scores were between 360 and 530.

SAT Reading and Writing Scores for Columbus State University  ( 440 to 530 )
200
800
SAT Math Scores for Columbus State University  ( 360 to 530 )
200
800

CSU, Columbus State received ACT scores from 12% of accepted students. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, ACT Composite scores ranged between 16 and 22.

ACT Composite Scores for Columbus State University  ( 16 to 22 )
1
36

Learn more about Columbus State University admissions.

What Is the Student-to-Faculty Ratio at Columbus State University?

16 to 1 Student to Faculty
59% Full Time Teachers

Student to Faculty Ratio

The student to faculty ratio at Columbus State University is about average at 16 to 1. This ratio is often used to gauge how many students might be in an average class and how much time professors will have to spend with their students on an individual level. The national average for this metric is 15 to 1.

Percent of Full-Time Faculty

When estimating how much access students will have to their teachers, some people like to look at what percentage of faculty members are full time. This is because part-time teachers may not have as much time to spend on campus as their full-time counterparts.

The full-time faculty percentage at Columbus State University is 59%. This is higher than the national average of 47%.

Full-Time Faculty Percent  59 out of 100
0
100

What Are the Graduation and Retention Rates at Columbus State University?

70% Freshmen Retention
42% On-Time Graduation Rate

Freshmen Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate tells us what percentage of first-year, full-time students choose to continue on to their sophomore year at a particular school. The rate at Columbus State University is 70%, which is about average when compared to the national rate of 68%.

Freshmen Retention Rate  70 out of 100
0
100

Graduation Rate

The on-time graduation rate for someone pursuing a bachelor’s degree is typically four years. This rate at CSU, Columbus State for first-time, full-time students is 42%, which is better than the national average of 33.3%.

On-Time Graduation Rate  42 out of 100
0
100

Find out more about the retention and graduation rates at Columbus State University.

How Diverse Is Columbus State University?

5,625 Undergraduate Students
52.8% Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
57.4% Percent Women

During the most recent academic year, there were 5,625 undergraduates at CSU, Columbus State.

Get more detailed information on the diversity at Columbus State University.

How Much Does Columbus State University Cost?

$17,140 Net Price
38% Take Out Loans
$24,972 Total Student Loans

The typical net cost at CSU, Columbus State is $17,140. The affordability of the school largely depends on your financial need since net price varies by income group. See the table below for the net price for different income groups.

Net Price by Income Group for CSU, Columbus State

$0-30 K $30K-48K $48-75 $75-110K $110K +
$11,271 $11,873 $13,786 $16,542 $18,329

The net price is calculated by adding tuition, room, board and other costs and subtracting financial aid. Note that the net price is typically less than the published price for a school. For more information on the sticker price of CSU, Columbus State, see our tuition and fees and room and board pages.

Student Loan Debt

It’s not uncommon for college students to take out loans to pay for school. In fact, almost 66% of students nationwide depend at least partially on loans. At CSU, Columbus State, approximately 38% of students took out student loans averaging $6,243 a year. That adds up to $24,972 over four years for those students. The student loan default rate is 10.2%. This is about the same as the national default rate of 10.1%. Get more details about paying for Columbus State University.

How Much Do Columbus State University Graduates Earn?

$44,544 Avg Salary of Grads
Low Earnings Boost

Yearly salaries vary depending on what you major in, but on average, bachelor’s degree recipients from Columbus State University make around $44,544 per year during the early years of their employment. This is right on par with the average college graduate’s salary of $49,219 per year. Also, graduates in your major field may make more. Average Salary for Columbus State University Graduates

See which majors at Columbus State University make the most money.

Where Is Columbus State University Located?

Georgia State
5,625 Undergraduate Students
Midsize City Campus Setting

Columbus State University is a public institution located in Columbus, Georgia. The surrounding area of the school is a good match for students who enjoy city life. Get more details about the location of Columbus State University.

Location of Columbus State University

Get in touch with Columbus State University are listed below.

Contact Details
Address: 4225 University Ave, Columbus, GA 31907-5645
Phone: 7065078800
Website: www.columbusstate.edu
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_State_University
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ColumbusState
Twitter: twitter.com/ColumbusState

What Majors Does Columbus State University Offer?

21 Majors With Completions
3,632 Undergraduate Degrees

In the latest year of available data, students from 21 majors graduated from Columbus State University. The following table lists the most popular undergraduate majors along with the average salary graduates from those majors make.

Most Popular Majors Completions Average Salary of Graduates
Multi-Disciplinary Studies 1,816 NA
Nursing 208 $73,057
Teacher Education Grade Specific 141 $45,541
Criminal Justice & Corrections 129 $52,693
Computer Information Systems 117 $50,668
Other Homeland Security 86 NA
Other Business & Marketing 64 $72,649
Music 62 $17,516
Business Administration & Management 61 $38,505
Information Technology 59 NA

Learn more about the majors offered at Columbus State University along with which ones have the highest average starting salaries.

Does CSU, Columbus State Offer Online Classes?

79% Take At Least One Class Online
24% Take All Classes Online

4,464 students took at least one online class at Columbus State University.

Online learning options are becoming more and more popular at American colleges and universities. Online classes are great for students who have busy schedules or for those who just want to study on their own time.

Learn more about online learning at Columbus State University.

Curious how schools stack up against CSU, Columbus State? Compare them side by side using College Combat, a free interactive tool for comparing colleges on the features you care about.

Notes and References

Footnotes

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

References

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