Southeastern College-Columbia
Columbia, SC 29223
About Southeastern College-Columbia
Southeastern College-Columbia is a private for-profit trade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling about 267 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $31,941 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $25,080. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $31,156 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Southeastern College-Columbia charges 51% above the national private for-profit median tuition ($25,080).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 1.9×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 66.67%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $31,156.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern College-Columbia | $25,080 | $31,941 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $12,978 | $11,376 | 63 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Southeastern College-Columbia really?
Key findings
- Southeastern College-Columbia charges 51% above the national private for-profit median tuition ($25,080).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 1.9×.
Southeastern College-Columbia tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $25,080
Finding Southeastern College-Columbia charges 51% above the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $25,080. That is 51% above the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the South Carolina median ($12,978), sticker tuition is about 1.9×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.1×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private for-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Southeastern College-Columbia versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Southeastern College-Columbia versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Southeastern College-Columbia is $31,941.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $31,941 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $20,565 above the South Carolina median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $13,241 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Southeastern College-Columbia, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Southeastern College-Columbia: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Southeastern College-Columbia—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$25,080
Avg. net price
$31,941
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $31,086 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $31,129 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $34,887 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $31,502 |
| $110,001+ | $37,469 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $100,320. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Southeastern College-Columbia is known for
Top program completions
- Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage34
- Medical/Clinical Assistant20
- 05.109119
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General9
- Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer9
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 57% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Southeastern College-Columbia a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Southeastern College-Columbia is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Southeastern College-Columbia.
Campus
Location
Columbia, SC
City / state
- ZIP
- 29223
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is 71% above the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Two-Year: Health Professions
Size
Enrollment
267
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 701
- Full-time share
- 76%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$9,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 77.11%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Southeastern College-Columbia.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Southeastern College-Columbia was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Southeastern College-Columbia in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | — | $20,621 |
| 2014 | — | — | $21,261 |
| 2015 | — | — | $18,963 |
| 2016 | — | — | $24,855 |
| 2017 | — | — | $24,119 |
| 2018 | — | — | $27,283 |
| 2019 | — | — | $29,593 |
| 2020 | — | — | $32,328 |
| 2021 | $21,320 | $21,320 | $31,530 |
| 2022 | $23,324 | $23,324 | $34,116 |
| 2023 | $24,184 | $24,184 | $37,856 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Southeastern College-Columbia reported total enrollment of about 267 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 5% male and 95% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Race/ethnicity unknown (44.9%), Black or African American (43.1%), and White (6.7%). About 77.11% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 56.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
76.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Southeastern College-Columbia in 2024 is 267 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 701 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
67.3%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
66.67% 100% Completion Time
66.67% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 66.67% of students graduating from Southeastern College-Columbia completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage: 18% male / 82% female
- Medical/Clinical Assistant: 5% male / 95% female
- 05.1091: 0% male / 100% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Southeastern College-Columbia graduates earn a median of $31,156 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Southeastern College-Columbia.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $31,156. Median federal loan debt: $9,500. Average net price used in cost models: $31,941.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Southeastern College-Columbia graduates report median earnings of $31,156 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Southeastern College-Columbia.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 7 programs by IPEDS completions (8 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Southeastern College-Columbia.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Southeastern College-Columbia graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Southeastern College-Columbia—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 62.1%
- South Carolina median 1.3 pp above median (60.7%)
- Southeast median 2.6 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 4.1 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,247
- South Carolina median 0.77× the median ($6,831)
- Southeast median 0.77× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.69× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,640
- South Carolina median 0.69× the median ($8,125)
- Southeast median 0.85× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.77× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Southeastern College-Columbia at a glance
Southeastern College-Columbia
Southeastern College-Columbia is a private for-profit institution in Columbia, SC, classified as Special Focus Two-Year: Health Professions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Massage Therapy/Therapeutic MassageMedical/Clinical Assistant05.1091
- Largest enrollment groups
- Race/ethnicity unknown44.9%Black or African American43.1%White or Caucasian6.7%
Schools near Southeastern College-Columbia
Other campuses in Columbia, SC when available, plus nearby institutions in South Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within South Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Southeastern College-Columbia located?
Southeastern College-Columbia is located in Columbia, SC.
What is Southeastern College-Columbia's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Southeastern College-Columbia is 97.3% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 172 applicants and 159 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Southeastern College-Columbia's tuition?
Southeastern College-Columbia tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $25,080 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $31,941 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Southeastern College-Columbia cost?
Reported tuition is $25,080 and average net price is $31,941 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $9,120 annually.
What explains Southeastern College-Columbia's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($31,941), completion (66.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($31,156). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Southeastern College-Columbia?
Southeastern College-Columbia reports undergraduate enrollment of about 701 students, Race/ethnicity unknown (44.9%), Black or African American (43.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Southeastern College-Columbia?
About 56.7% of students at Southeastern College-Columbia are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Southeastern College-Columbia earn?
Median earnings are $26,719 six years after entry and $31,156 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Southeastern College-Columbia?
The 150%-time completion rate is 66.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Southeastern College-Columbia students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $9,500.
Is Southeastern College-Columbia public or private?
Southeastern College-Columbia is a private for-profit institution located in Columbia, SC.
Is Southeastern College-Columbia an HBCU?
No. Southeastern College-Columbia is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- South Carolina college profile
- South Carolina college costs
- South Carolina colleges by ROI
- South Carolina trade schools profile
- Columbia, South Carolina city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Rural college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in South Carolina
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.