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Colleges near Columbia, South Carolina
Looking for information about the best colleges and universities in Columbia? Here's your guide to the top schools located within 20 miles of Columbia, South Carolina.
There are about 9 colleges in the area, including 7 private colleges and universities, 1 public college or university, and 1 community college offering 2-year degrees.
Read on to get a breakdown of the colleges near Columbia, with details about cost, enrollment, student type and degree offerings.
Columbia, South Carolina Colleges by the Numbers
Degrees have been growing at institutions near Columbia, South Carolina over the past 5 years. In 2020, students completed 12,045 degree programs at colleges and universities near Columbia. That was an increase of 7% from completions reported in 2016.
Schools with Degree Completions
Est. Total Completions in 2020
Est. Completions (Last 5 Years)
Top School For Adults & Online Students
Franklin University is a top choice for transfer students, online learners and adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and regionally-accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Franklin offers more than 50 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Undergraduate Enrollment
3,855
Completions By Degree
1,673
Est. Online Degree Offerings
100%
Private Colleges & Universities Near Columbia, South Carolina
Of the 9 schools near Columbia, South Carolina, 7 are four-year private colleges or universities where about 9,023 undergraduate students were enrolled. In 2020, a total of 2,992 degrees were completed at private colleges and universities , including 1,840 that were offered online.
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
Franklin offers more than 50 online bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctoral programs in the Columbia, South Carolina area. Franklin University is an accredited nonprofit 4-year school where most students attend classes part-time. Most of the students are adults and all programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at Franklin University. In 2020, 1,001 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 65 associate degrees, 599 master's degrees, and 8 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
3,855
Completions By Degree
1,673
Est. Online Degree Availability
100%
Completions by Program
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
Columbia International University is an accredited nonprofit 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are of traditional age and minimal programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at Columbia International University. In 2020, 173 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 16 associate degrees, 161 master's degrees, and 18 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
712
Completions By Degree
368
Est. Online Degree Availability
8%
Completions by Program
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
Allen University is an accredited nonprofit 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are of traditional age and no programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at Allen University. In 2020, 40 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 0 associate degrees, 5 master's degrees, and 0 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
753
Completions By Degree
45
Est. Online Degree Availability
0%
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
Columbia College is an accredited nonprofit 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are a mixture of traditional and adult aged and some programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at Columbia College. In 2020, 305 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 5 associate degrees, 77 master's degrees, and 0 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
1,099
Completions By Degree
387
Est. Online Degree Availability
40%
Completions by Program
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
South University-Columbia is an accredited for profit 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are adults and no programs completed were offered online. Master's degrees are the most popular at South University-Columbia. In 2020, 97 master's degrees were completed. In addition, 40 associate degrees, 86 bachelor's degrees, and 36 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
532
Completions By Degree
259
Est. Online Degree Availability
0%
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
University of Phoenix-South Carolina is a non-accredited for profit 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are adults and no programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at University of Phoenix-South Carolina. In 2020, 24 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 0 associate degrees, 0 master's degrees, and 0 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
38
Completions By Degree
24
Est. Online Degree Availability
0%
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
Benedict College is an accredited nonprofit 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are of traditional age and no programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at Benedict College. In 2020, 231 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 0 associate degrees, 5 master's degrees, and 0 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
2,034
Completions By Degree
236
Est. Online Degree Availability
0%
Completions by Program
Public Colleges & Universities Near Columbia, South Carolina
There is 1 four-year public college located near Columbia, South Carolina . About 27,066 students were enrolled in undergraduate programs, and about 9,478 degrees were completed at public colleges near Columbia. Tuition shown reflects in-state rates.
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
University of South Carolina-Columbia is an accredited public 4-year school where most students attend classes full-time. Most of the students are of traditional age and minimal programs completed were offered online. Bachelor's degrees are the most popular at University of South Carolina-Columbia. In 2020, 6,940 bachelor's degrees were completed. In addition, 4 associate degrees, 1,604 master's degrees, and 930 doctoral degrees were earned.
Undergraduate Enrollment
27,066
Completions By Degree
9,478
Est. Online Degree Availability
12%
Completions by Program
Community Colleges Near Columbia, South Carolina
There is 1 community college near Columbia, South Carolina where students can earn 2-year associate degrees. In 2020, about 8,474 students were enrolled in undergraduate courses at community colleges near Columbia, and about 1,248 associate degrees were completed.
Tuition
School Type
Accredited
Non-Profit
Midlands Technical College is an accredited 2-year school where most students attend classes part-time. Most of the students are of traditional age and no programs completed were offered online.
Undergraduate Enrollment
8,474
Completions By Degree
1,248
Est. Online Degree Availability
0%
Completions by Program
Affordable Colleges Near Columbia, South Carolina
Wondering what you can expect to pay for a degree near Columbia, South Carolina, or which Columbia schools have the most affordable options? According to undergraduate tuition data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average tuition at Columbia-area's 4-year nonprofit schools is $16,016. The average tuition at 4-year for-profit schools near Columbia is $17,014, while tuition at 2-year online colleges and universities is $4,788.
4-Year Nonprofit
4-Year For-Profit
2-Year
Accredited Colleges Near Columbia, South Carolina
Earning a college degree is an investment — and earning a college degree from an accredited university is one of the best ways to ensure your education is of high quality. Accredited universities are held to rigorous standards by state and regional bodies and undergo regular reviews to verify that their processes and academic programs meet the proper standards.
Wondering if a certain college or university near Columbia, South Carolina is accredited? View a list of accredited colleges and universities near Columbia, South Carolina here. We've made it easy to find your school by breaking down the list by school type.
- Allen University
- Benedict College
- Columbia College
- Columbia International University
- University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Franklin University
- Midlands Technical College
- South University-Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina Job Market & Opportunities
What happens after you earn your college degree in Columbia? What's the Columbia, South Carolina job market outlook? Get a snapshot of jobs and careers, including annual job openings, median earnings and more.
In 2021, there were about 365,618 jobs in the Columbia, South Carolina area. From 2020-2021, job growth in Columbia was below the national average, at 0.8%. There were 41,064 job openings in the area. In terms of earnings, workers in Columbia do better than the national average, with an average hourly pay of $17.69.