Best colleges in Columbia

Stand Out in the Deep South

You don't need a unique name for a great education

When named the capitol of South Carolina, there were already twenty towns named Columbia. However, this particular Columbia sticks out as one of the best places to live and get a college education. Begin your path to being a biologist, journalist, teacher, or social worker by getting your degree at one of Columbia's 23 institutions. Named one of the "10 Great Cities to Live in" by Kiplinger Magazine, Columbia is the perfect place to make your next move. Not to mention an unemployment rate consistently below average meaning almost guaranteed job prospects after graduation.

Diversify your leisure as well as your education here. At the intersection of the "Three Rivers Greenway," a 12 mile long park system along the 3 rivers, Columbia a great place to play, especially on the water. Enjoy one of the many parks, the zoo, or trails. and with a State and National Park nearby, there are even more places to hike, fish, sail, or kayak. Warm days year round will let you get out any day, whether for adventure or drinks on the patio. With all these options, there's no reason you shouldn't let this Columbia help you stand out.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*Wikipedia, "Columbia" *National Center for Education Statistics *Bureau of Labor Statistics

Best Four Year Universities in Columbia

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University of South Carolina-Columbia offers 305 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 8,953 students graduated with students earning 6,109 Bachelor's degrees, 1,600 Master's degrees, 929 Doctoral degrees, 311 Certificates, and 4 Associate's degrees.

Columbia International University offers 65 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 323 students graduated with students earning 161 Master's degrees, 115 Bachelor's degrees, 18 Doctoral degrees, 16 Associate's degrees, and 13 Certificates.

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Benedict College
Columbia, SC

Benedict College offers 51 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 236 students graduated with students earning 231 Bachelor's degrees, and 5 Master's degrees.

Columbia College
Columbia, SC

Columbia College offers 63 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 376 students graduated with students earning 294 Bachelor's degrees, 77 Master's degrees, and 5 Associate's degrees.

Allen University
Columbia, SC

Allen University offers 10 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2020, 45 students graduated with students earning 40 Bachelor's degrees, and 5 Master's degrees.

South University-Columbia offers 23 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2020, 259 students graduated with students earning 97 Master's degrees, 86 Bachelor's degrees, 40 Associate's degrees, and 36 Doctoral degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Columbia

Fortis College-Columbia offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2020, 186 students graduated with students earning 156 Certificates, and 30 Associate's degrees.

Midlands Technical College
West Columbia, SC

Midlands Technical College offers 77 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2020, 1,278 students graduated with students earning 1,204 Associate's degrees, and 74 Certificates.

List of all colleges in Columbia

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of South Carolina-Columbia Logo University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC
3/5
24 : 1 35,470
Columbia International University Logo Columbia International University Columbia, SC
5/5
44 : 1 2,098
Southeastern College-Columbia Logo Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia, SC   19 : 1 193
Benedict College Logo Benedict College Columbia, SC
4/5
20 : 1 1,731
Columbia College Logo Columbia College Columbia, SC
4/5
26 : 1 1,218