Fortis College-Columbia
Columbia, SC 29210
About Fortis College-Columbia
Fortis College-Columbia is a private for-profit trade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling about 582 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 $20,404 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $14,777. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $36,368 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Fortis College-Columbia charges 11% below the national private for-profit median tuition ($14,777).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is 14% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 43.44%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $36,368.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Fortis College-Columbia is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 346% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortis College-Columbia | $14,777 | $20,404 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $12,978 | $11,376 | 63 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| 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 Fortis College-Columbia really?
Key findings
- Fortis College-Columbia charges 11% below the national private for-profit median tuition ($14,777).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is 14% above.
Fortis College-Columbia tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $14,777
Finding Fortis College-Columbia charges 11% below the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $14,777. That is 11% below the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the South Carolina median ($12,978), sticker tuition is 14% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 24% above.
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 Fortis College-Columbia versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Fortis College-Columbia versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Fortis College-Columbia is $20,404.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $20,404 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $9,028 above the South Carolina median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $2,356 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 Fortis College-Columbia, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Fortis College-Columbia: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Fortis 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
$14,777
Avg. net price
$20,404
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $19,599 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,526 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $23,866 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $25,778 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $59,108. 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 Fortis College-Columbia is known for
Top program completions
- Medical/Clinical Assistant101
- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician67
- Dental Assisting/Assistant45
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse36
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Fortis College-Columbia a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Fortis 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 Fortis College-Columbia.
Campus
Location
Columbia, SC
City / state
- ZIP
- 29210
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 13% above the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Two-Year: Health Professions
Size
Enrollment
582
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 932
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$12,547
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 77.21%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Fortis 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 Fortis 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 Fortis 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 | $15,772 | $15,772 | $15,610 |
| 2014 | $15,787 | $15,787 | $14,032 |
| 2015 | $15,880 | $15,880 | $17,365 |
| 2016 | $16,184 | $16,184 | $16,958 |
| 2017 | $16,235 | $16,235 | $21,532 |
| 2018 | $16,285 | $16,285 | $20,061 |
| 2019 | $14,920 | $14,920 | $20,445 |
| 2020 | $14,109 | $14,109 | $22,620 |
| 2021 | $14,216 | $14,216 | $22,820 |
| 2022 | $14,872 | $14,872 | $28,044 |
| 2023 | $14,576 | $14,576 | $27,508 |
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
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
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
Fortis College-Columbia reported total enrollment of about 582 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 26% male and 74% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (79.7%), White (12.7%), and Hispanic or Latino (4.3%). About 77.21% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 56.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Fortis College-Columbia in 2024 is 582 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 932 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
66.0%
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
30.33% 100% Completion Time
43.44% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 30.33% of students graduating from Fortis College-Columbia completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Medical/Clinical Assistant: 1% male / 99% female
- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician: 97% male / 3% female
- Dental Assisting/Assistant: 2% male / 98% 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.
Fortis College-Columbia graduates earn a median of $36,368 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Fortis College-Columbia.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $36,368. Median federal loan debt: $12,547. Average net price used in cost models: $20,404.
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 Fortis College-Columbia graduates report median earnings of $36,368 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 Fortis College-Columbia.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 4 programs by IPEDS completions (5 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Fortis College-Columbia.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Fortis College-Columbia graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Fortis 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: 18.2%
- South Carolina median 42.6 pp below median (60.7%)
- Southeast median 41.3 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 39.8 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,090
- South Carolina median 0.89× the median ($6,831)
- Southeast median 0.89× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.80× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $3,724
- South Carolina median 0.46× the median ($8,125)
- Southeast median 0.56× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.51× 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.
Fortis College-Columbia at a glance
Fortis College-Columbia
Fortis College-Columbia is a private for-profit institution in Columbia, SC, classified as Special Focus Two-Year: Health Professions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Medical/Clinical AssistantHeating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/TechnicianDental Assisting/Assistant
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American79.7%White or Caucasian12.7%Hispanic or Latino4.3%
Schools near Fortis 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 Fortis College-Columbia located?
Fortis College-Columbia is located in Columbia, SC.
What is Fortis College-Columbia's tuition?
Fortis College-Columbia tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $14,777 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $20,404 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Fortis College-Columbia cost?
Reported tuition is $14,777 and average net price is $20,404 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $13,338 annually.
What explains Fortis College-Columbia's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($20,404), completion (43.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($36,368). 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 Fortis College-Columbia?
Fortis College-Columbia reports undergraduate enrollment of about 932 students, Black or African American (79.7%), White (12.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Fortis College-Columbia?
About 56.0% of students at Fortis College-Columbia are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Fortis College-Columbia earn?
Median earnings are $33,189 six years after entry and $36,368 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Fortis College-Columbia?
The 150%-time completion rate is 43.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Fortis College-Columbia students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $12,547.
Is Fortis College-Columbia public or private?
Fortis College-Columbia is a private for-profit institution located in Columbia, SC.
Is Fortis College-Columbia an HBCU?
No. Fortis College-Columbia is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Fortis College-Columbia a tribal college?
No. Fortis College-Columbia is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
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
- Suburban 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.