“A historic United Methodist liberal arts college in South Carolina's capital, blending personalized education with a newly coeducational community.”
Columbia College is a private, United Methodist-affiliated liberal arts institution located in the heart of Columbia, South Carolina — the state capital. Founded in 1854 as Columbia Female College, the institution has a rich 170-year history of educating students in a values-centered environment. Originally a women's college, Columbia College made the historic transition to full coeducation in 2020, welcoming its first coeducational residential class in Fall 2021. Today, the college enrolls approximately 1,725 students across undergraduate and graduate programs, maintaining a close-knit campus community with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The college organizes its curriculum across five major academic areas: Arts and Humanities (including a nationally recognized dance program), Health, Mathematics & Sciences (featuring nursing and exercise science), Social Sciences (psychology, criminal justice, social work), Education (teacher preparation programs with 169-year track record), and Business & Leadership. With more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs, Columbia College emphasizes experiential learning, internship opportunities, and community engagement. The institution's rolling admissions policy and no-application-fee approach reflect a commitment to accessibility and student success. Located on a 53-acre urban campus in Columbia, students benefit from proximity to the South Carolina state government, major healthcare systems, and a vibrant city of over 130,000 residents. The campus is home to CeCe the Koala, the college's beloved mascot, embodying the school's friendly and community-focused spirit. Columbia College has earned recognition in the 2026 US News rankings as #59 in Regional Universities South, #22 in Best Value Schools, and #17 in Top Performers on Social Mobility — reflecting its commitment to affordable, high-quality education.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Universities South
US News 2026
Best Value Schools (Regional South)
US News 2026
Top Performers on Social Mobility
US News 2026
Best Colleges for Veterans
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceRolling Admissions
No application deadline; applications reviewed year-round
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$20,054
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Programs in dance, English, art, music, and communication arts
Pre-professional and STEM programs including nursing and exercise science
Programs in psychology, criminal justice, social work, and political science
Teacher preparation programs with 169 years of history and national certification
Programs preparing students for careers in business, accounting, and organizational leadership
4 years
One of the most distinctive programs at the college, offering both performance-focused Dance Studies and a Pre-K–12 teaching certification track.
4 years
The most popular major at Columbia College, with tracks including Forensic Psychology and strong links to graduate study and community mental health careers.
4 years
Prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam; also offered as an online RN-to-BSN completion program for working nurses.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $22,214
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
