by our College Data Analytics TeamBelow is the data on what it actually costs to attend Columbus State University, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
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Published attendance costs at Columbus State University fell between $19,953.00 ranging to $31,665.00 depending on your residency status.
Residency made the difference: in-state students paid the lower rate and out-of-state students the higher rate: around $19,953.00 in-state compared with $31,665.00 for non-residents.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $5,898.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,055.00 |
| Total cost | $19,953.00 |
| That is 4% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $19,953.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$8,561.00 |
| Net price | $11,392.00 |
| That is 41% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $19,953.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$10,405.00 |
| Net price | $9,548.00 |
| That is 50% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $17,610.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,055.00 |
| Total cost | $31,665.00 |
| That is 64% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $31,665.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$8,561.00 |
| Net price | $23,104.00 |
| That is 20% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $31,665.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$10,405.00 |
| Net price | $21,260.00 |
| That is 10% above the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see the tuition & fees page and room and board. |
The reported cost series has been increasing by roughly 0.7% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. Loan totals assume a ten-year repayment at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Freshman year | $9,610.00 | $11,466.00 | $20,083.00 |
| Senior year | $9,800.00 | $11,692.00 | $20,479.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $38,819.00 | $46,316.00 | $81,122.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $14,789.00 | $17,645.00 | $30,905.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $447.00 | $533.00 | $934.00 |
| Total amount paid | $53,608.00 | $63,961.00 | $112,027.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Freshman year | $9,610.00 | $11,466.00 | $20,083.00 |
| Senior year | $9,673.00 | $11,541.00 | $20,214.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $19,283.00 | $23,007.00 | $40,297.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,346.00 | $8,765.00 | $15,352.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $222.00 | $265.00 | $464.00 |
| Total amount paid | $26,629.00 | $31,772.00 | $55,649.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Freshman year | $21,399.00 | $23,255.00 | $31,872.00 |
| Senior year | $21,820.00 | $23,713.00 | $32,499.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $86,436.00 | $93,933.00 | $128,739.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $32,929.00 | $35,785.00 | $49,045.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $995.00 | $1,081.00 | $1,482.00 |
| Total amount paid | $119,365.00 | $129,718.00 | $177,784.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Freshman year | $21,399.00 | $23,255.00 | $31,872.00 |
| Senior year | $21,538.00 | $23,406.00 | $32,079.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $42,937.00 | $46,661.00 | $63,951.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $16,357.00 | $17,776.00 | $24,363.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $494.00 | $537.00 | $736.00 |
| Total amount paid | $59,294.00 | $64,437.00 | $88,314.00 |
Read more in the net-price section.
Net price strips out grant and scholarship aid to show what families really pay. For most students, this is the more useful number than published tuition because it reflects the real out-of-pocket cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $13,115.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $11,889.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. The table below shows the average net price by family-income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $10,370.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $10,797.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,287.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,598.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $15,428.00 |
For a personalized estimate, try the Columbus State University Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid breakdown.
The median graduating debt at Columbus State University works out to $15,000.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden category.
The percentile breakdown reveals the full debt landscape:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $6,250.00 |
| Median (50th) | $15,000.00 |
| 75th | $28,250.00 |
| 90th | $39,853.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Explore borrowing, repayment, and default in detail on the student loan debt detail.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $15,000.00 |
| Middle income | $15,073.00 |
| High income | $15,000.00 |
First-generation college students often carry different debt loads than their continuing-generation peers.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,976.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $15,500.00 |
Pell Grant eligibility is a useful proxy for low-income status among undergraduates. Comparing Pell recipients vs non-recipients shows how debt is distributed by need.
The median debt gap between Pell and non-Pell graduates of Columbus State University amounts to $4,563.00. This school is flagged by the Department of Education for Pell-related debt inequity.
The Department of Education default-rate tier for Columbus State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 10.2% |
For scale, federal Stafford loan disbursements at Columbus State University come to $732,723,607.00 covering 30,354 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 135 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $1,582.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 7 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,633.00 |
Dig into veteran education benefits on the college veterans page.
Beyond the data above, it helps to ask a few questions when weighing Columbus State University, keep these questions in mind:
Explore the related pages below for a deeper look at the cost picture:
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.