Ibex Insights
Ibex Insights
Open dashboard

Columbia College

Vienna, VA · official site ↗

Private for-profitAssociate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/NontraditionalTwo-year, very small
100
Fin. Resilience
Resilience score

vs. 12 peers in its group

Columbia College is a private for-profit institution in Vienna, VA, classified by Carnegie as “Associate's: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional.”

It enrolls about 151 undergraduates and is benchmarked here against 12 peer institutions (Private for-profit institutions in the Southeast region).

On Ibex's Financial Resilience score it rates 100 out of 100 within that peer group, a transparent composite of endowment per undergraduate, net tuition revenue per student, and instructional spend per student.

Its strongest standing relative to peers is first-year retention (85.5%, 100th percentile).

Its weakest is net-price momentum (cagr) (28.4%).

Ibex's cross-metric scan flags: Undergrad enrollment down 58% since 2016.

Peer group

Private for-profit institutions in the Southeast region

12 institutions

Undergrad enrollment down 58% since 2016
Policy & demographic exposure

How exposed Columbia College is to the structural shifts reshaping higher ed: a composite structural-risk index plus the 2025 federal budget law’s endowment excise tax, Grad PLUS elimination, new Parent PLUS borrowing cap and new Workforce Pell short-term-credential opportunity, and the demographic enrollment cliff. Only signals that apply to this institution are shown.

Structural risk indexAn indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure) blending operating margin, months of cash cushion, tuition dependency and the home-state enrollment cliff. Screens for the financial and demographic strain that precedes closures and mergers, directional, not a prediction.
53
Elevated
Workforce Pell exposureShare of this school's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 2026 (short-term programs of 150–600 clock hours over 8–15 weeks). An opportunity signal: higher = more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid. Source: College Scorecard Field-of-Study; an upper-bound proxy since the certificate tier spans varying lengths.
58.6%
Certificate-intensive
Higher than 44% of schools nationally
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
-9.6%
Moderate decline

Indicative signals, not forecasts, see each metric’s definition and the methodology. Endowment-tax, Grad PLUS, Parent PLUS and Workforce Pell figures appear only where the institution is actually exposed; “nationally” compares against all schools that report each signal.

Turn these signals into action

Seeing exposure is step one. Ibex builds AI agents that monitor and act on exactly these pressures, explore an interactive demo. Live demos run real workflows; the rest are working mockups we build to your institution’s data.

Market Intelligence Agentlive demoFinancial Aid AgentAI Recruiter Agent
Revenue composition
Where the money comes from $5.6M total revenue · IPEDS FY2022-23

Tuition & fees is the largest single source at 100% of revenue.

Tuition & fees99.8%
Investment return0.2%

Where each dollar of revenue comes from, as a share of total positive revenue. Sources are standardized across public (GASB) and private (FASB) reporting; a net investment loss in a down market is shown as 0% and excluded from the mix.

Net price by income
Average net price by family income After grant & scholarship aid · Scorecard 2024-25
$0–30K$10,042
$30–48K$10,246
$48–75K$11,163

Average annual net price (total cost minus grant and scholarship aid) paid by federal-aid recipients in each family-income band. Lower-income bands often pay less where need-based aid is strong.

Financial Health
Net tuition revenue / FTETuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student after institutional aid/discounts, what tuition actually nets.
Strong
$28,391
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median $13,458
12 peers
Instructional spend / FTESpending on instruction per FTE student, how much of the budget reaches the classroom.
Strong
$10,013
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median $2,944
12 peers
Avg monthly faculty salaryAverage monthly salary of full-time faculty (IPEDS) – a proxy for faculty investment.
Below peers
$2,698
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median $5,382
12 peers
Average monthly salary of full-time faculty, as reported to IPEDS.
Average net priceAverage yearly price families actually pay after grants and scholarships.
Strong
$10,171
12th percentile in peer grouppeer median $17,440
8 peers
Net price, low-income families (under $30K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning under ~$30,000. Lower is better.
$10,042
– percentile in peer group
2024-257 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn under about $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). This is what the neediest admitted students actually pay, often far below the sticker price. Read it beside the overall net price and the high-income net price: a low figure here signals strong need-based aid. Lower is better.
Net price, middle-income families ($30K-$48K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning roughly $30,000 to $48,000. Lower is better.
$10,246
– percentile in peer group
2024-257 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $30,000 to $48,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the middle rung of the income net-price ladder: read it together with the low-income (under ~$30K) and high-income (over ~$110K) net prices to see how steeply the school discounts as family income rises. Lower is better.
Net price, upper-middle families ($48K-$75K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning roughly $48,000 to $75,000. Lower is better.
$11,163
– percentile in peer group
2024-256 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn roughly $48,000 to $75,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). It is the fourth rung of the five-rung income net-price ladder: read it with the low, middle, upper and high-income net prices to see how steeply the school discounts as family income rises. Lower is better.
Operating marginNet surplus as a share of total revenue, whether the institution runs in the black.
Strong
32.1%
90th percentile in peer grouppeer median 20.4%
FY2022-2310 peers
Net surplus as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23): (total revenues − total expenses) ÷ total revenues. A surplus above 4% is strong; a thin surplus near 0% leaves little margin for shocks.
Tuition dependencyTuition's share of total revenue, how exposed the budget is to enrollment swings.
99.8%
70th percentile in peer grouppeer median 99.3%
FY2022-2310 peers
Tuition & fees as a share of total revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23). Higher = more exposed to enrollment swings.
Structural risk indexAn indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure) blending operating margin, months of cash cushion, tuition dependency and the home-state enrollment cliff. Screens for the financial and demographic strain that precedes closures and mergers, directional, not a prediction.
Elevated
53
– percentile in peer group
2024-2510 peers
An indicative 0–100 structural-risk index (higher = more pressure), an equal-weight blend of the stress signals we measure: thin or negative operating margin, low months of operating cushion, high tuition dependency, and a shrinking home-state high-school-graduate pipeline (enrollment cliff). Averaged over whichever signals are available (at least two required). It screens for the financial and demographic pressures that precede closures and mergers, a directional indicator, NOT a prediction that any institution will close, and not a credit rating.
Graduation & completion
Graduation rate · first-time, full-time
–

Not reported, this institution has no first-time, full-time bachelor's-degree cohort, so the graduation rate does not apply. See the all-students completion rate.

Completion rate · all students
63%

63% earned a degree or certificate within 8 years (IPEDS Outcome Measures)
The broader cohort, also counts part-time entrants and transfer-ins, and any credential. More inclusive, so it can run higher than the graduation rate.

Why two numbers? They measure different students over different windows, so they are not directly comparable. The graduation rate is the standard federal headline but tracks only first-time, full-time students through a bachelor's; the all-students completion rate adds the part-time and transfer students it leaves out, over a longer window. Read each for what it covers. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Graduation Rates & Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard.

Enrollment & Pipeline
Undergraduate enrollmentNumber of degree-seeking undergraduates (IPEDS fall headcount). A size measure, not a quality signal.
151
18th percentile in peer grouppeer median 734
11 peers
First-year retentionShare of first-time, full-time students who return for a second year, an early signal of student fit and support. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Strong
85.5%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 78.9%
2 peers
Graduation rate (150% of normal time)Of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking students, the share who completed within 150% of the program's normal time (about three years for a two-year program), per College Scorecard. This is the two-year analogue of the six-year graduation rate shown for four-year colleges.
Strong
80%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 56.4%
2 peers
Share of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who completed within 150% of the program's normal time (about three years for a two-year program), per College Scorecard. The two-year analogue of the six-year rate shown for four-year colleges.
Graduation rate (on-time)Of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking students, the share who completed within the program's normal time (100%, on-time), per College Scorecard. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Strong
61%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 46.9%
2 peers
Share of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who completed within the program's normal time (100%), per College Scorecard. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Pell recipient shareShare of undergraduates on a federal Pell Grant, a proxy for the share from lower-income families.
34.1%
27th percentile in peer grouppeer median 53.1%
11 peers
Completion rate (all students · 8-yr)Of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, the share who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures). Broader than the graduation rate, which counts only first-time, full-time students, so the two are measured on different students and are not directly comparable.
Strong
63%
82nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 46.7%
2024-2511 peers
Share of ALL entering degree-seeking undergraduates, full- and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who earned a degree or certificate at this institution within eight years (IPEDS Outcome Measures, via College Scorecard). Broader and more inclusive than the graduation-rate figures, which count only first-time, full-time students entering a bachelor's program, so the two are measured on different groups of students and are not directly comparable.
First-generation studentsShare of undergraduates who are the first in their family to attend college.
65.5%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 53.7%
2024-259 peers
Share of undergraduates who are first-generation college students (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An access signal, not a measure of quality: a higher share often reflects a stronger commitment to serving students whose parents did not attend college.
Adult learners (25+)Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older.
84.5%
64th percentile in peer grouppeer median 69%
2024-2511 peers
Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read as context on the student mix: schools serving many working adults look different on persistence and part-time measures than traditional-age campuses, and neither is inherently better.
Part-time undergraduatesShare of undergraduates enrolled part-time.
0%
27th percentile in peer grouppeer median 12.1%
2024-2511 peers
Share of undergraduates enrolled part-time (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Context, not quality: a high part-time share is common at community and commuter institutions and affects graduation-rate comparisons, which are based only on full-time, first-time students.
Median family incomeMedian family income of students at this institution.
$3,102
10th percentile in peer grouppeer median $18,520
2024-2510 peers
Median family income of students at this institution (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An affordability and access signal, not a measure of quality: a lower figure typically means the school enrolls more students from modest-income families.
Low-income students (under $30K)Share of students from families earning under about $30,000 a year.
87.8%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 71.5%
2024-259 peers
Share of students whose families earn under roughly $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A direct low-income access signal: a higher share usually reflects a school enrolling more students from modest-income households, and pairs naturally with the Pell recipient share.
Women (share of undergraduates)Share of undergraduates who are women.
72.9%
73rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 70.2%
2024-2511 peers
Share of undergraduates who are women (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Reported as context on the student mix, not a measure of quality.
8-year completion (all students)Share of all entering students, including part-time and transfer-in, who earn an award within 8 years. Higher is better.
Strong
63%
82nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 46.7%
2024-2511 peers
Share of ALL entering students, full-time and part-time, first-time and transfer-in, who complete an award within eight years (College Scorecard Outcome Measures, FY2024-25). It is a broader, more representative completion signal than the first-time-full-time graduation rates, because it counts the part-time and returning students those rates exclude. Higher is better.
12-month FTE enrollmentFull-time-equivalent enrollment over the full year, the denominator for per-student finance measures.
273
27th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1,010
2022-2311 peers
Full-time-equivalent enrollment over the full 12-month year (IPEDS 12-month enrollment, 2022-23). Counts part-time students at their fractional load, so it runs above fall full-time headcount and is the denominator used for per-student finance measures.
Student-faculty ratioStudents per instructional faculty member, lower usually means smaller classes and more contact.
12:1
36th percentile in peer grouppeer median 16:1
2022-2311 peers
Students per instructional faculty member (IPEDS, fall 2023). Lower generally means smaller classes and more faculty contact, though the measure mixes undergraduate and graduate teaching and is institution-reported.
Fully online studentsShare of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education (online) courses.
3%
25th percentile in peer grouppeer median 24%
2024-2512 peers
Share of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education courses (IPEDS, Fall 2023). Describes delivery model, not quality; online-heavy institutions look different on residential measures.
Applicant-pool diversity shiftProjected change in the non-white share of the home state's public high-school graduating class, class of 2025 to 2037.
+5.1%
– percentile in peer group
WICHE 2024 (11th ed.)12 peers
Percentage-point change in the non-white share of the institution's home-state public high-school graduating class between the class of 2025 (the national peak) and 2037 (WICHE, Knocking at the College Door, 11th ed., public-school race detail). A forward look at who the future applicant pool will be: a positive value means the state's graduating class is projected to grow more racially diverse. Strategic recruiting context, not a forecast of any one school's enrollment, and a college recruits from many states.
Program concentration (HHI)How concentrated a school's annual completions are across academic fields, as a Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (10,000 = one field, lower = many). Higher means more reliance on a few fields; lower means a diversified program portfolio.
Highly concentrated
4,380
– percentile in peer group
2022-239 peers
How concentrated the institution's degree and certificate output is across academic fields (CIP 2-digit families), as a Herfindahl-Hirschman Index on the latest year's completions: 10,000 means every completion is in one field; lower means output is spread across many. A higher value means the school leans on fewer fields and is more exposed to demand shifts in them; a lower value reflects a broad program portfolio. Shown for institutions reporting at least 100 annual completions. A structural-diversification signal, not a measure of quality.
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
Moderate decline
-9.6%
– percentile in peer group
2024-2512 peers
Projected change in the number of high-school graduates in the institution's HOME STATE from the class of 2025 (the national peak) to 2041, per WICHE's Knocking at the College Door, 11th Edition (Dec 2024). The 'enrollment cliff' is the post-2008 birth decline reaching college age; the U.S. total is projected to fall about 13% over this window. A college recruits from many states, so its home-state projection is an indicative directional signal of feeder-market pressure, not a forecast of that institution's own enrollment.
Workforce Pell exposureShare of this school's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 2026 (short-term programs of 150–600 clock hours over 8–15 weeks). An opportunity signal: higher = more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid. Source: College Scorecard Field-of-Study; an upper-bound proxy since the certificate tier spans varying lengths.
Certificate-intensive
58.6%
– percentile in peer group
2024-256 peers
Share of the institution's measured credentials that are undergraduate certificates, the sub-associate tier that the 2025 budget law's new Workforce Pell Grant makes Pell-eligible from July 1, 2026. Workforce Pell extends the Pell Grant to short-term workforce programs of 150 to 600 clock hours offered over 8 to 15 weeks, subject to state-workforce-board and accreditor approval and to job-placement, completion and earnings-value guardrails. This is an opportunity signal: a higher share means more of what the school already produces could draw new federal grant aid, and the upside is greatest where Pell reliance (shown separately) is also high. Computed as undergraduate-certificate completions divided by all credential completions in the College Scorecard Field-of-Study file (most recent release). Scorecard's 'Undergraduate Certificate' level spans certificates of varying length, so the statutory 150-600 clock-hour window is a subset of this tier, read this as an upper-bound exposure proxy, not a count of qualifying programs. Shown only for institutions that confer such certificates above a minimum completions floor.
Enrollment momentum (CAGR)Enrollment momentum (CAGR).
Below peers
-10.3%
18th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.1%
2024-2511 peers
Compound annual growth rate of undergraduate enrollment over the years the tool tracks (College Scorecard, roughly 2016-2024). Positive means the school is growing; negative means it is shrinking, the leading indicator of demand stress ahead of the demographic cliff. Banded against the school's peer group.
Net-price momentum (CAGR)Net-price momentum (CAGR).
Below peers
28.4%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.1%
2024-2512 peers
Compound annual growth rate of net tuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student over the tracked years. A high positive rate means the school's real net price is climbing faster than peers, which can strain affordability and yield. Banded against the school's peer group. Lower is better.
States recruited fromNumber of distinct US states sending at least one first-time student.
Average
2
44th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4
Fall 20229 peers
How many distinct US states the school's first-time degree-seeking class is drawn from (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A higher count signals broader geographic reach and less dependence on any single state's shrinking pool of high school graduates; a low count means the school recruits from a narrow region and is more exposed to that region's demographic decline. Banded against the school's peer group.
Foreign first-time shareShare of first-time students whose legal residence is a foreign country.
0%
78th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 20229 peers
Share of the school's first-time degree-seeking class whose legal residence is outside the United States (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A measure of international reach in the entering class. Neither high nor low is inherently better; it is context for tuition-revenue mix and exposure to visa and geopolitical risk. Banded against the school's peer group.
Direct competitors within 100 miNumber of same-type institutions (same Carnegie class and control) within 100 miles.
Below peers
1
75th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1
2024-2512 peers
How many institutions of the same type (same Carnegie classification and control, i.e. the schools competing for the same students) sit within roughly 100 miles. A higher count means a more crowded local market and a harder yield fight, which matters most as the regional pool of high school graduates shrinks; a low count means the school has its catchment largely to itself. Distance is straight-line from campus coordinates. Banded against the school's peer group. Fewer is better for recruiting leverage.
Hybrid (some online) enrollmentShare of students enrolled in some but not all courses online (hybrid), Fall 2023.
93%
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 28%
Fall 202312 peers
Share of all students taking some, but not all, of their courses at a distance (IPEDS, Fall 2023). This is the hybrid middle ground between the fully online share and the fully in-person share, and it signals how far a school has moved coursework online without going exclusively remote. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Transfer-in share (undergraduate)Transfer-in students as a share of undergraduate enrollment, Fall 2023.
13.8%
45th percentile in peer grouppeer median 14.9%
Fall 202311 peers
Transfer-in students as a share of all undergraduates (IPEDS, Fall 2023). A high share means the school depends on transfer pipelines rather than first-time freshmen, which changes both recruitment strategy and melt/retention risk. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Graduate share of enrollmentGraduate students as a share of total enrollment, Fall 2023.
0%
17th percentile in peer grouppeer median 10%
Fall 202312 peers
Graduate students as a share of total headcount enrollment (IPEDS, Fall 2023). It separates research-intensive universities with large graduate bodies from undergraduate-focused institutions. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Women share of facultyWomen as a share of instructional staff (full- and part-time), Fall 2023.
62.9%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 49.5%
2023-2410 peers
Women as a share of all instructional staff, full- and part-time combined (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). A gender-composition signal for the teaching workforce. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Faculty of color shareU.S. faculty of color as a share of instructional staff, Fall 2023.
71.4%
60th percentile in peer grouppeer median 68.3%
2023-2410 peers
Instructional staff who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or two-or-more races, as a share of all instructional staff (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). Nonresident and race-unknown staff are excluded from the numerator. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Enrollment forecast (5-yr)Projected change in total enrollment about five years out, from the school's own trend.
Below peers
-29.9%
18th percentile in peer grouppeer median -0.4%
2024-2029 projection11 peers
Projected cumulative change in total enrollment roughly five years out, modeled by a least-squares log-linear fit on the school's own enrollment history (2016-2024). It uses the full multi-year series, so a single shock year (such as 2020) does not drive the result. This is a naive trend extrapolation, not a demographic model, and is capped at plus or minus 60 percent; treat it as direction-of-travel, not a precise count. Banded against the school's peer group; higher means projected growth.
On-campus crime rateOn-campus criminal offenses per 1,000 students, 2024 (Clery Act).
Below peers
0 per 1k
75th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0 per 1k
2024 (Clery)12 peers
Criminal offenses reported on campus in 2024 (murder, manslaughter, the four sex-offense categories, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor-vehicle theft and arson) per 1,000 students, from the school's federal Clery Act filing. Counts and enrollment are summed across the institution's campuses. A higher number does not always mean a more dangerous school: thorough reporting and dense residential campuses raise it. Lower is generally safer. Banded against the school's peer group.
In-state HS graduatesPublic + private high-school graduates in the school's state, class of 2025.
104,008
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 119,020
Class of 2025 (WICHE)12 peers
The size of the school's home-state high-school graduating class in 2025 (WICHE Knocking at the College Door, public and private combined). It is the near-term in-state feeder market, the complement to the enrollment-cliff projection, which shows the direction that market is heading. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Metro-area unemployment rateUnemployment rate in the school's metro area, ACS 2019-23.
Average
4.7%
42nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 5%
ACS 2019-2312 peers
The civilian unemployment rate in the school's metropolitan or micropolitan area (US Census ACS 2019-23, mapped by the school's federal CBSA code). It is a proxy for local labor demand: a lower rate means a tighter job market, a stronger near-term destination for graduates and a smaller pool of working adults to recruit. It describes the local economy, not the school. Schools outside any metro area are not scored. Banded against the school's peer group.
Student body
Undergraduate race & ethnicity IPEDS 2024-25
International55.6%
Asian24.5%
White15.9%
Black2.0%
Hispanic/Latino2.0%

Undergraduate enrollment by race and ethnicity, as reported to IPEDS (College Scorecard). “International” denotes nonresident students; “Unknown” means race/ethnicity was not reported.

Student Outcomes & Risk
Median earnings (10 yr)Median earnings of former students ten years after first enrolling (working, federally-aided students).
Below peers
$22,160
12th percentile in peer grouppeer median $35,393
8 peers
Median debt at graduationMedian federal loan debt graduates carry at the point they complete.
Strong
$7,940
11th percentile in peer grouppeer median $25,870
9 peers
3-yr cohort default rateShare of borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment. Lower is better.
Strong
8.9%
27th percentile in peer grouppeer median 12.3%
FY2017 cohort11 peers
Share of borrowers who defaulted within three years of entering repayment (U.S. Dept. of Education official cohort default rate). Shown for the FY2017 borrower cohort, the most recent cohort whose full three-year default window closed before the 2020-23 federal student-loan payment pause. More recent cohorts are reported by the College Scorecard at essentially 0%, but that reflects the payment pause (no payments were due, so almost no one could default), not borrower health, so the pre-pause cohort is the last meaningful reading. Lower is better.
Share taking federal loansShare of students taking out federal loans, a borrowing-reliance signal.
16.4%
18th percentile in peer grouppeer median 71.7%
11 peers
Debt-to-earnings ratioMedian graduate debt divided by median earnings, how heavy the debt load is versus what graduates earn. Lower is better.
Strong
0.36×
12th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.76×
8 peers
Loan repayment rate (3-yr)
75%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 29.1%
2024-258 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within three years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it as context, not a simple good/bad score: a low rate can mean borrowers are struggling, but it can also mean many graduates have postponed payments while enrolled in graduate or professional school, which is common at selective schools and pushes their rate down. Unlike the cohort default rate, it is not distorted by the 2020-23 federal payment pause. Reported only where enough borrowers exist.
Working 10 years after entryShare of the no-longer-enrolled cohort who are working ten years after entering.
Below peers
66.2%
12th percentile in peer grouppeer median 77.9%
2024-258 peers
Share of students who are working (not still enrolled) ten years after entering this institution, of those whose employment status is known (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A coarse employment signal; it does not capture earnings level or job quality.
Withdrew by year 2Share of entrants who had withdrawn by their second year. Lower is better.
Average
36.2%
50th percentile in peer grouppeer median 39.9%
2024-258 peers
Share of students who had withdrawn from this institution by the end of their second year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An early-attrition signal, where lower is better; high part-time or adult-learner enrollment can raise it without reflecting institutional quality.
Median earnings (6 yr)Median earnings of working former students six years after they first enrolled.
Below peers
$23,950
25th percentile in peer grouppeer median $30,480
2024-258 peers
Median earnings of former students who are working and were federally aided, measured six years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A shorter-horizon companion to the ten-year earnings figure; early-career pay tends to run below the ten-year mark, so read the two together rather than in isolation.
Loan repayment rate (1-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within one year of entering repayment.
Strong
69.6%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 21.7%
2024-258 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within one year of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the earliest point on the repayment curve. As with the longer-horizon rates, a low figure can reflect borrowers deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.
Field-demand outlook (10-yr)Employment-weighted 10-year BLS job-growth projection for the occupations this school's program mix feeds (U.S. all-occupations benchmark +3.1%). An indicative broad-field demand signal, not a program-specific or placement guarantee.
Outpaces job-market average
+4.8%
56th percentile in peer group
BLS EP 2024-349 peers
Projected 10-year (2024-34) change in U.S. employment for the occupations this institution's degrees and certificates feed, blended across its program mix. Built by mapping each CIP 2-digit field to its occupations via the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk, taking the employment-weighted average of each occupation's BLS-projected percent change, then weighting fields by the institution's latest-year completions. The U.S. all-occupations benchmark is 3.1%, so a higher value means the school's graduates concentrate in faster-growing labor markets. An INDICATIVE field-level signal at broad-field granularity, not a program-specific or graduate-specific projection, and not a placement or earnings guarantee. Shown where at least 50% of completions fall in fields with a coherent occupational mapping and the school reports 100+ annual completions.
Net-value indexComposite 0-100 of earnings, completion, net price and debt vs peers.
Strong
72.0
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 52.0
2024-259 peers
A 0-100 composite of student value relative to the peer group: the average of peer percentile ranks for median earnings ten years out, graduation rate, net price (lower counts as better value) and median debt (lower is better). Built only where at least two components are reported. Higher means more outcome per dollar. Banded against the school's peer group.
Earnings spread
Earnings 10 years after entry: the middle 50% Working, federally-aided former students · Scorecard 2024-25
25th percentile$11,114
Median$22,160
75th percentile$43,603

Annual earnings of working former students measured ten years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard), shown as a range rather than a single number. The middle half of this school’s graduates earn between the 25th- and 75th-percentile figures; the Median bar matches the headline earnings figure. A wider gap means more variation in how graduates fare. Bars are scaled to the highest value shown.

Top fields of study (all levels)

Columbia College’s largest fields by completions, with graduate earnings (4 years out) and debt benchmarked against the same field at its peer group. Sparklines show the 8-year completions trend.

FieldCompletions / yrMedian earnings, 4 yrs outMedian debtEarnings premiumRisk score
Health Professions & Clinical Sciences63$22,878$4,130Below benchmark -40%Moderate · 50
English Language & Literature20–––Low · 0
Health Professions & Clinical Sciences10–––Low · 0
Education6–––Low · 0
Business, Management & Marketing5–––High · 100
Personal & Culinary Services5––––
Personal & Culinary Services5–––Low · 0
Computer & Information Sciences2––––
English Language & Literature–$28,460–Below benchmark -25%Moderate · 50

2 of 2 top fields shown have median graduate earnings below the VA state earnings-premium benchmark, an indicative flag under the 2025 federal earnings-premium test (effective July 1, 2026).

Earnings-premium status is an indicative estimate: median graduate earnings four years out vs the VA state median earnings of a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or a bachelor’s-degree holder (graduate credentials) from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2022 ACS 5-year). The official U.S. Department of Education determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.

The risk score (0–100) is an indicative blend of earnings-premium margin and the five-year completions trend, higher means a field pays closer to (or below) the benchmark and is shrinking. A directional screen, not an official determination.

Major-level detail (CIP 4-digit)
Health Professions & Clinical Sciences – 2 CIP programs (4-digit), 1 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic ServicesCIP 5135 ›56$22,878 n=56––$4,1300.18×Below benchmark -40%–
Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsCIP 5106 ›7–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 1 of 2 majors show an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

English Language & Literature – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
English Language and Literature, GeneralCIP 2301 ›20–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Health Professions & Clinical Sciences – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsCIP 5106 ›10–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Education – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsCIP 1312 ›6–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Business, Management & Marketing – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCIP 5202 ›5–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Personal & Culinary Services – 2 CIP programs (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming ServicesCIP 1204 ›4–––––––
Culinary Arts and Related ServicesCIP 1205 ›1–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 2 majors show an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Personal & Culinary Services – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Culinary Arts and Related ServicesCIP 1205 ›5–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

Computer & Information Sciences – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 0 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
Computer ScienceCIP 1107 ›2–––––––

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 0 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

English Language & Literature – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 1 with earnings
Major (CIP 4-digit)Compl./yrEarn 4yrEarn 1yr% > thresholdMedian debtDebt/earnEarnings premium2 of 3 yrs
English Language and Literature, GeneralCIP 2301 ›–$28,460 n=270–41% 5yr––Below benchmark -25%Below benchmark 2 of 2 yrs

Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 1 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.

See the interactive dashboard for all fields and credential levels (associate through doctoral). Source: College Scorecard Field of Study.

Frequently asked
What is Columbia College's student-faculty ratio?
Columbia College reports a student-faculty ratio of 12:1 (IPEDS, fall 2023) – that is, about 12 students for every instructional faculty member.
How much does Columbia College cost?
The average net price after aid is $10,171 (College Scorecard).
How much do Columbia College graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entry are $22,160 (College Scorecard), measured across students who received federal aid.
Are Columbia College's programs at risk under the federal earnings-premium test?
Indicatively, at Columbia College, 2 of the 2 largest fields with available earnings data have median graduate earnings (four years out) below the VA state earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026), under which programs can lose Title IV eligibility if graduate earnings trail those of a typical worker without the credential for 2 of 3 years. This is an estimate using College Scorecard field-of-study earnings vs ACS state/national medians; the Department of Education's official determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
Which schools are Columbia College's peers?
Columbia College is benchmarked against 12 institutions in the Private for-profit institutions in the Southeast region peer group; all percentiles and medians on this page are computed within that group.
Compare with peers
Jose Maria Vargas UniversityAtlanta Institute of Music and MediaCharleston School of LawAtlantis UniversityWashington University of Science and TechnologyAmerican InterContinental University-Atlanta

Explore Columbia College interactively

Open the full dashboard to switch peer views, hover trends, and compare head-to-head.

Open in dashboard

Want a custom dashboard for Columbia College?

We build tailored intelligence dashboards – Columbia College and the peer set you choose, the metrics and risk signals your team cares about, kept current and delivered to you. Tell us what you’d want to track and a specialist will scope it with you.

Request a custom dashboard

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent releases), with the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Projections, field-demand outlook) and WICHE (enrollment-cliff projections). Figures lag the current academic year by roughly two to three years. Percentiles and medians are computed within the institution's peer group. Financial Resilience is a transparent composite, see each component above. Compiled by Ibex Insights.