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Columbia College
Columbia, SC 1,343 Undergrads 52.3% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$35,258
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,408
After Aid
Median Earnings
$52,308
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$18,408
Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$52,308
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Graduation Rate52.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients53.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time71.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS76.5%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
93.9%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$473k
+$6k
-$12k
Median Cost$18k/yr
+$407k
-$60k
-$78k
Full Cost$35k/yr
+$346k
-$121k
-$138k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$18k/yr
Never
-117%
Full Cost$35k/yr
Never
-109%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-102%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-83%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Associate's Degrees
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,598
Natl Median: $76,194
Lifetime Value Added
-$271k
Behavioral Sciences
BachCIP: 3017
Median Debt
$18,760
Earnings (4yr)
$39,738
Natl Median: $48,673
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$20,059
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,046
Earnings (4yr)
$53,979
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
-$64k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$21,880
Earnings (4yr)
$44,280
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$24,094
Earnings (5yr)
$38,268
Natl Median: $58,928
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Community Organization and Advocacy
BachCIP: 4402
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,936
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
BachCIP: 1199
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$68,038
Natl Median: $77,632
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$19,261
Earnings (4yr)
$59,371
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$20k
Dance
BachCIP: 5003
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,980
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Education, General
BachCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Homeland Security
BachCIP: 4303
Median Debt
$25,122
Earnings (4yr)
$71,888
Natl Median: $70,193
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
BachCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
International Business
BachCIP: 5211
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,201
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Journalism
BachCIP: 0904
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,278
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
BachCIP: 2401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,435
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$168k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,394
Earnings (4yr)
$32,207
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$250k
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
BachCIP: 4499
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $61,630
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,808
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
BachCIP: 0909
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Religion/Religious Studies
BachCIP: 3802
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
BachCIP: 2313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,471
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$20,750
Earnings (4yr)
$44,276
Natl Median: $51,790
Lifetime Value Added
-$145k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$42,958
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$164k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$26,570
Earnings (4yr)
$46,686
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$125k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Master's Degrees
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$18,579
Earnings (4yr)
$62,548
Natl Median: $103,485
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
MastCIP: 4228
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,462
Natl Median: $65,184
Lifetime Value Added
-$265k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
MastCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$14,405
Earnings (4yr)
$61,821
Natl Median: $66,714
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Education, Other
MastCIP: 1399
Median Debt
$19,329
Earnings (4yr)
$52,401
Natl Median: $65,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$218k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$19,329
Earnings (4yr)
$50,070
Natl Median: $71,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.