Columbia College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Columbia College charges a net price of $18,408/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $73,632. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,338, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Columbia College does not clear its cost — it ranks #28 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,408/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $73,632 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,338 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,022/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $22,750 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$214,072 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Columbia College's own numbers. Net price $18,408 × 4 years = $73,632 total. Median earnings $41,338 fall $7,022 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $73,632 bill in about 7.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Columbia College students graduate with?
A median $22,750 in federal loans among completers, or 55% of the $41,338 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Columbia College students graduate?
37% finish their degree — 63% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $73,632 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $199,005 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Columbia College expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $18,408 net price runs $2,414 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $9,654 more across the full degree.