US CollegesGetting in
Columbia College has an open admission policy: it does not turn applicants away on grades or test scores, though some courses can have their own requirements.
What it costs
| Tuition and fees for a year | $27,404 |
| Room and meals on campus | $10,105 |
| Books and supplies | $480 |
| Average full cost of a year (tuition, living, books), before aid | $41,106 |
| Average net price after grants and scholarships | $25,982 |
The net price is what students who got federal aid paid on average for a year after grants and scholarships were taken off. It is 50% above the median net price of colleges in Missouri on this site ($17,270). International students normally pay the published tuition and do not receive US federal aid.
Net price by family income
| Family income a year | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | $27,025 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $27,419 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $26,711 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,234 |
| Above $110,000 | $26,208 |
For students who received federal aid. A negative figure means grants were larger than the cost counted.
For an estimate that fits your own family, use the college's net price calculator.
Results
| Measure | This college | MO median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students who come back for a second year | 75% | 69% | 73% |
| Students who finish their degree (within one and a half times the normal length) | 51% | 51% | 49% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting | $48,161 | $48,299 | $53,132 |
| Median federal loan debt of those who finish | $23,786 | $19,250 | $19,994 |
Medians are the middle value of the colleges on this site in Missouri and in the whole country. Completion and return rates count first-time, full-time students. Earnings and debt count students who received federal aid.
The students
50% of undergraduates receive a Pell Grant, the federal grant for students from lower-income families. 39% take a federal student loan. The undergraduate body is 59% women and 41% men. By undergraduate numbers it is number 15 of the 74 colleges in Missouri on this site that report a size; the middle-sized one has 1,362.
Other colleges in Missouri of a similar size
- University of Missouri-St LouisSaint Louis, public
- Lindenwood UniversitySaint Charles, private nonprofit
- Park UniversityParkville, private nonprofit
- Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, public
- Northwest Missouri State UniversityMaryville, public
- University of Central MissouriWarrensburg, public
Common questions
How much is tuition at Columbia College?
Published tuition and fees are $27,404 a year. Most students with aid pay less: see the net price.
What is the graduation rate of Columbia College?
51% of first-time, full-time students finish within one and a half times the normal length of the course.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.