Colleges in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is a city in South Carolina. According to Census data, the population is 560,041 (estimated). For the academic year 2024-2025, twelve colleges are active for serving college programs in Columbia, South Carolina. In addition, there are 14 colleges located within 30 miles from Columbia.
By school type, there are one public and eleven private schools. By school level, there are seven 4-years (or high) schools, three 2-4 years schools (community colleges), and two less than 2 years schools (career, technical, or vocational schools) based on the IPEDS data.
All Twelve schools offer undergraduate programs and six schools offer graduate programs. The 2025 average tuition & fees of the schools in Columbia, South Carolina is $15,595 for South Carolina residents and $19,023 for out-of-state students.
The average acceptance rate is 85.69% and the average SAT score is 1,270. A total of 46,958 students enrolled in schools in Columbia, South Carolina, of which 6,922 students enrolled in online degree programs exclusively. The average student to faculty ratio is 14 to 1.
Comparison Between Colleges in Columbia, South Carolina
The following table lists 12 colleges located in Columbia and 3 schools near Columbia, South Carolina ordered by distance from Columbia. The "-" value in other columns means that the corresponding data has not been reported or the school does not have programs for the values.
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles. The colleges in light blue rows are located in the city limit and other schools are not located in, but near the city.
| College Name | Distance From Columbia | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio | Graduate Tuition & Fees | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, 2-4 years valid | 3.78 miles | $25,080 | 267 | 67% | 12 to 1 | - | 97.3% | - |
| South University-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 5.35 miles | $17,895 | 504 | 23% | 21 to 1 | $16,611 | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Columbia West Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years valid | 5.51 miles | $8,692 | 64 | 84% | 20 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Southeastern Esthetics Institute Elgin, SC Private, Less than 2 years valid | 6.41 miles | $9,500 | 358 | 90% | 20 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Benedict College Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 6.90 miles | $17,748 | 1,691 | 24% | 13 to 1 | $14,402 | 95.7% | - |
| Allen University Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 6.93 miles | $14,304 | 610 | 13% | 12 to 1 | $9,800 | 72.5% | - |
| Columbia College Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 7.26 miles | $20,054 | 1,725 | 37% | 12 to 1 | $15,630 | 93.9% | - |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC Public, 4 years four-years | 7.61 miles | $36,298 | 38,532 | 79% | 19 to 1 | $30,160 | 60.2% | 1,270 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia West Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years valid | 10.08 miles | $18,575 | 256 | 69% | 16 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Columbia International University Columbia, SC Private, 4 years four-years | 10.13 miles | $27,900 | 2,914 | 47% | 13 to 1 | $11,640 | 94.5% | - |
| Fortis College-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, 2-4 years valid | 10.33 miles | $14,777 | 582 | 43% | 29 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Barber Tech Academy-Columbia Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years valid | 10.85 miles | $17,135 | 51 | - | 17 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia West Columbia, SC Private, Less than 2 years valid | 13.15 miles | $18,762 | 127 | 54% | 20 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Midlands Technical College West Columbia, SC Public, 2-4 years valid | 13.61 miles | $14,700 | 9,226 | 18% | 15 to 1 | - | - | - |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc Camden, SC Private, Less than 2 years valid | 23.39 miles | $15,000 | 33 | 87% | 17 to 1 | - | - | - |
| Average | - | $19,023 | 46,958 | 44% | 14 to 1 | $16,374 | 85.7% | 1,270 |