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 314 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 9,180 students graduated with students earning 6,290 Bachelor's degrees, 1,735 Master's degrees, 865 Doctoral degrees, 289 Certificates, and 1 Associate's degree.

Columbia International University offers 71 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 651 students graduated with students earning 328 Master's degrees, 146 Bachelor's degrees, 115 Doctoral degrees, 33 Certificates, and 29 Associate's degrees.

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Benedict College
Columbia, SC

Benedict College offers 54 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 265 students graduated with students earning 258 Bachelor's degrees, and 7 Master's degrees.

Allen University
Columbia, SC

Allen University offers 14 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 76 students graduated with students earning 62 Bachelor's degrees, and 14 Master's degrees.

Columbia College
Columbia, SC

Columbia College offers 74 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 443 students graduated with students earning 237 Master's degrees, and 206 Bachelor's degrees.

South University-Columbia offers 36 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 154 students graduated with students earning 57 Bachelor's degrees, 57 Master's degrees, 29 Associate's degrees, 9 Doctoral degrees, and 2 Certificates.

Best Community Colleges in Columbia

Southeastern College-Columbia offers 13 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 35 students graduated with students earning 27 Certificates, and 8 Associate's degrees.

Fortis College-Columbia offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2022, 170 students graduated with students earning 127 Certificates, and 43 Associate's degrees.

Midlands Technical College
West Columbia, SC

Midlands Technical College offers 86 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 928 students graduated with students earning 870 Associate's degrees, and 58 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
23 : 1 35,653
Southeastern College-Columbia Logo Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia, SC
4/5
7 : 1 155
Columbia International University Logo Columbia International University Columbia, SC
5/5
51 : 1 2,481
Benedict College Logo Benedict College Columbia, SC
4/5
20 : 1 1,840
Allen University Logo Allen University Columbia, SC
3/5
16 : 1 657