Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, AL · Private for-profit · offers Graduate degrees
—Acceptance rate
$14,580Average net price / year
33%Graduation rate
$63,534Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$21,339Median debt at graduation
12,176Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $6,760
- Total cost of attendance
- $18,226
- Average net price
- $14,580
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $12,913
- $30–48k
- $13,455
- $48–75k
- $15,569
- $75–110k
- $16,226
- $110k+
- $17,408
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- —
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 33%
- First-year retention
- 71%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $55,140
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $63,534
- Median debt (graduates)
- $21,339
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 24%
- Students with federal loans
- 26%
Programs: what graduates earn
29 of 57 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Undergraduate certificate
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 12 | $49,753 | $25,428 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 15 | $78,159 | $25,856 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 8 | $57,864 | — |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 29 | $84,636 | $15,879 |
Associate's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Protection | 432 | $75,326 | $9,500 |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 307 | $74,871 | $13,910 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 98 | $58,241 | $12,140 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 99 | $55,667 | $16,266 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 192 | $49,820 | $16,640 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 33 | $39,247 | $15,886 |
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 60 | $83,927 | $20,057 |
| Fire Protection | 585 | $82,718 | $20,895 |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 521 | $78,532 | $23,425 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 61 | $74,546 | $22,078 |
| Homeland Security | 57 | $62,313 | $21,628 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 75 | $61,894 | $19,843 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 256 | $60,461 | $20,209 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 594 | $58,468 | $23,998 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 96 | $53,843 | $21,862 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 53 | $53,644 | $23,491 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 128 | $51,692 | $23,621 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 93 | $38,439 | $25,000 |
Post-baccalaureate certificate
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | — | $77,603 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 378 | $87,712 | $32,386 |
| Homeland Security | 131 | $85,364 | $37,075 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 953 | $70,859 | $39,043 |
| Public Administration | 149 | $63,643 | $40,144 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 57 | $61,993 | $39,585 |
| Public Health | 64 | $58,278 | $39,955 |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 12,176
- Graduate students
- 9,251
- Part-time
- 34%
- Women / men
- 36% / 64%
- White
- 61%
- Hispanic
- 1%
- Black
- 19%
- Asian
- 1%
- International
- 0%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 37:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $40,365 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 40%
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Website
- www.columbiasouthern.edu
- Also known as
- NA
Most popular fields
- Natural Resources & Conservation – 2% of degrees
- Communication & Journalism – 0% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 5% of degrees
- Education – 0% of degrees
- Engineering Technologies – 24% of degrees
- Liberal Arts & General Studies – 2% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
How much does Columbia Southern University cost?
The average net price after grants is $14,580 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $6,760 and the full cost of attendance is $18,226.
How much do Columbia Southern University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $63,534 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
33% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.