Columbia, South Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Columbia, South Carolina shows: median public in-state tuition $18,145 (+229.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $36,686 (-32.5% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S.) 35,532 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 12 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 35,532 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $18,145 (+229.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $36,686 (-32.5% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.1% (-0.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $20,404 (+104.7% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 30.6%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 57.2%
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Columbia, South Carolina—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against South Carolina and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Columbia vs South Carolina & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, South Carolina | $18,145 | $20,404 | $20,000 | 30.6% | 35,532 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $7,558 | $11,376 | $15,917 | 47.3% | 200,978 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Columbia, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, South Carolina | $36,686 | 87.1% | 57.2% | 13.0% | — | 50.4% | 0.65 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $44,999 | 88.8% | 69.7% | 6.5% | — | 66.0% | 0.55 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in South Carolina (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, South Carolina | $18,145 | $20,404 | $20,000 | 30.6% | 35,532 | $36,686 | 87.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $19,019 | $15,458 | 63.9% | 27,311 | $64,250 | 88.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $19,019 | $15,458 | 63.9% | 27,311 | $64,250 | 88.1% |
| Conway | $8,054 | $13,966 | $15,917 | 48.5% | 16,654 | $47,258 | 78.5% |
| Conway | $8,054 | $13,966 | $15,917 | 48.5% | 16,654 | $47,258 | 78.5% |
| Greenville | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 | $44,354 | 81.1% |
| Spartanburg | $20,650 | $14,250 | $17,155 | 52.3% | 13,262 | $48,587 | 90.0% |
| Rock Hill | $11,136 | $12,744 | $16,988 | 35.5% | 7,646 | $47,185 | 88.5% |
| Orangeburg | $11,060 | $17,948 | $29,000 | 44.1% | 6,238 | $39,283 | 88.3% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Columbia, South Carolina
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 4 | $35,426 | 87.3% | 55.3% | 14.2% | — | 39.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 78.8%, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 46.8%, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 36.9%, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 24.3%, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 13.3%, Allen University
Allen University
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 89.7%, Allen University
Allen University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 89.2%, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 89.0%, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 85.3%, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 82.5%, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Columbia, South Carolina (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 60.2%, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 72.5%, Allen University
Allen University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 93.9%, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 94.5%, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 95.7%, Benedict College
Benedict College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $77,635, South University-Columbia
South University-Columbia
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $77,161, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $67,338, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $33,120, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $23,737, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $23,572, Allen University
Allen University
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $109,116, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $91,363, South University-Columbia
South University-Columbia
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $71,888, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $45,474, Allen University
Allen University
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $43,210, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $41,811, Benedict College
Benedict College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,621, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,863, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,929, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $24,908, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $23,889, Allen University
Allen University
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $57,722, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,843, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,912, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $28,081, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $26,980, Allen University
Allen University
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $62,177, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,338, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $38,951, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,902, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $30,497, Allen University
Allen University
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $161,981, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $94,238, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $80,134, Allen University
Allen University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $78,844, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $54,168, South University-Columbia
South University-Columbia
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $52,472, Benedict College
Benedict College
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Columbia, South Carolina (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $10,972, Allen University
Allen University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $18,250, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $18,408, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $22,811, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 5, Net Price, $26,036, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 6, Net Price, $27,693, South University-Columbia
South University-Columbia
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, South Carolina by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 92.2%, University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 60.4%, Columbia College
Columbia College
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 57.3%, Benedict College
Benedict College
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 53.3%, Columbia International University
Columbia International University
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 45.0%, Allen University
Allen University
In-state tuition: Columbia, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Columbia, South Carolina median in-state tuition is $18,145, +229.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Columbia, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Columbia, South Carolina is $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Columbia, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Columbia, South Carolina center around $36,686 (-32.5% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Columbia, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.1% at the median Columbia, South Carolina campus (-0.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Columbia, South Carolina median public in-state tuition is $18,145, about +229.2% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +263.5%.
Median graduate debt is $20,000 (+48.9% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Columbia, South Carolina are $36,686, about -32.5% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 57.2% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 13.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 50.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Allen University (89.7%), Columbia College (89.2%), University of South Carolina-Columbia (89.0%), Benedict College (85.3%), Columbia International University (82.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Columbia, South Carolina, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $35,426 (4 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Columbia, South Carolina is 30.6% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 12 campuses in Columbia, South Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Columbia is $18,145 and median net price is $20,404. For South Carolina overall, medians are $7,558 and $11,376; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Columbia is $36,686 vs $44,999 for South Carolina and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Columbia colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Columbia is $20,000 vs $15,917 for South Carolina and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of South Carolina-Columbia (graduation) and University of South Carolina-Columbia (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 12 campuses in Columbia, South Carolina, 2 historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Allen University and Benedict College; 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: African Methodist Episcopal (1), Baptist (1), United Methodist (1).
Sources & related
- South Carolina college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON