Columbia Southern University

Orange Beach, AL 12,176 Undergrads 47.9% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$18,226

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$14,580

After Aid

Median Earnings

$80,589

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$14,580

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$80,589

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate47.9%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients22.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time65.6%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS76.8%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

100.0%

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

+$695k

+$228k

+$210k

Median Cost$15k/yr

+$642k

+$175k

+$158k

Full Cost$18k/yr

+$629k

+$162k

+$145k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

∞

Median Cost$15k/yr

301%

Full Cost$18k/yr

221%

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 Return515%

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 Return106%

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

Certificates

Business Administration, Management and Operations

CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$25,428

Earnings (4yr)

$89,203

Natl Median: $47,440

Lifetime Value Added

+$469k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

CertCIP: 1101

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,984

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Finance and Financial Management Services

CertCIP: 5208

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,418

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fire Protection

CertCIP: 4302

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $62,436

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Hospitality Administration/Management

CertCIP: 5209

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $40,962

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

CertCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$57,864

Natl Median: $61,907

Lifetime Value Added

+$149k

International Business

CertCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $72,496

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Marketing

CertCIP: 5214

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $49,757

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

CertCIP: 0301

Median Debt

$25,856

Earnings (4yr)

$78,159

Natl Median: $51,561

Lifetime Value Added

+$362k

Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians

CertCIP: 1507

Median Debt

$15,879

Earnings (4yr)

$84,636

Natl Median: $62,511

Lifetime Value Added

+$425k

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

CertCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $37,647

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

AssocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$16,640

Earnings (4yr)

$61,433

Natl Median: $48,733

Lifetime Value Added

+$131k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

AssocCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$12,140

Earnings (4yr)

$66,000

Natl Median: $46,706

Lifetime Value Added

+$173k

Fire Protection

AssocCIP: 4302

Median Debt

$9,500

Earnings (4yr)

$88,114

Natl Median: $73,589

Lifetime Value Added

+$372k

Health and Medical Administrative Services

AssocCIP: 5107

Median Debt

$15,886

Earnings (4yr)

$40,382

Natl Median: $37,073

Lifetime Value Added

-$75k

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

AssocCIP: 2401

Median Debt

$16,266

Earnings (4yr)

$62,009

Natl Median: $44,125

Lifetime Value Added

+$136k

Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians

AssocCIP: 1507

Median Debt

$13,910

Earnings (4yr)

$87,340

Natl Median: $77,094

Lifetime Value Added

+$365k

Bachelor's Degrees

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

BachCIP: 5109

Median Debt

$20,057

Earnings (4yr)

$95,774

Natl Median: $70,786

Lifetime Value Added

+$274k

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$23,998

Earnings (4yr)

$69,343

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$72k

Computer and Information Sciences, General

BachCIP: 1101

Median Debt

$23,491

Earnings (4yr)

$63,248

Natl Median: $92,374

Lifetime Value Added

+$25k

Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

BachCIP: 1110

Median Debt

$19,843

Earnings (4yr)

$77,738

Natl Median: $85,063

Lifetime Value Added

+$136k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$20,209

Earnings (4yr)

$70,354

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

+$80k

Fire Protection

BachCIP: 4302

Median Debt

$20,895

Earnings (4yr)

$88,735

Natl Median: $86,436

Lifetime Value Added

+$220k

Health and Medical Administrative Services

BachCIP: 5107

Median Debt

$23,621

Earnings (4yr)

$61,821

Natl Median: $58,716

Lifetime Value Added

+$13k

Homeland Security

BachCIP: 4303

Median Debt

$21,628

Earnings (4yr)

$73,703

Natl Median: $70,193

Lifetime Value Added

+$105k

Human Resources Management and Services

BachCIP: 5210

Median Debt

$21,862

Earnings (4yr)

$62,061

Natl Median: $68,069

Lifetime Value Added

+$15k

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

BachCIP: 5115

Median Debt

$25,000

Earnings (4yr)

$49,618

Natl Median: $52,119

Lifetime Value Added

-$86k

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

$22,078

Earnings (4yr)

$81,292

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

+$163k

Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians

BachCIP: 1507

Median Debt

$23,425

Earnings (4yr)

$94,480

Natl Median: $86,525

Lifetime Value Added

+$264k

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Business Administration, Management and Operations

PB-CertCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $104,114

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Health and Medical Administrative Services

PB-CertCIP: 5107

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $105,177

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Human Resources Management and Services

PB-CertCIP: 5210

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $79,861

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians

PB-CertCIP: 1507

Median Debt

Earnings (5yr)

$77,603

Natl Median: $77,603

Lifetime Value Added

+$81k

Master's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

MastCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$39,043

Earnings (4yr)

$79,103

Natl Median: $103,485

Lifetime Value Added

+$30k

Criminal Justice and Corrections

MastCIP: 4301

Median Debt

$39,585

Earnings (4yr)

$64,135

Natl Median: $66,714

Lifetime Value Added

-$102k

Homeland Security

MastCIP: 4303

Median Debt

$37,075

Earnings (4yr)

$93,851

Natl Median: $96,660

Lifetime Value Added

+$160k

Public Administration

MastCIP: 4404

Median Debt

$40,144

Earnings (4yr)

$74,452

Natl Median: $81,408

Lifetime Value Added

-$10k

Public Health

MastCIP: 5122

Median Debt

$39,955

Earnings (4yr)

$66,208

Natl Median: $82,751

Lifetime Value Added

-$83k

Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians

MastCIP: 1507

Median Debt

$32,386

Earnings (4yr)

$99,847

Natl Median: $103,349

Lifetime Value Added

+$212k

Doctoral Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations

DocCIP: 5202

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $113,566

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

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.