Columbia International University
Columbia, South Carolina · Also known as CIU · Website
$38,951
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$38,951
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Columbia International University is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Columbia, South Carolina with 716 undergraduates and 1,949 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $26,036 a year (tuition and fees $27,900). It admits 94% of applicants and 47% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $38,951 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $20,000 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$26,036
US median $17,138
Tuition and fees
$27,900
US median $11,837
Admission rate
94%
US median 78%
Completion rate
47%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$20,000
About $212 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$38,951
Rank 2,862 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $26,036
- Tuition and fees
- $27,900
- Cost of attendance
- $43,045
- Students with a need-based grant
- 34%
- Students with federal loans
- 46%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $21,955
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $25,644
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $23,535
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $28,722
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $29,751
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $20,430 in 2015-16 to $27,900 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 94%
- SAT reading, middle
- 538
- SAT math, middle
- 500
- ACT, middle
- 21
- Undergraduates
- 716
- Graduate students
- 1,949
- Part-time students
- 8.2%
- Women
- 51%
- Students per teacher
- 13
- Completion rate
- 47%
- Retention rate
- 53%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 77
- Endowment
- $5.12M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,862 of 5,094 US colleges and 39 of 78 in South Carolina (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | SC median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $26,036 | $16,583 | $22,320 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $27,900 | $12,978 | $31,170 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 94% | 75% | 74% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 47% | 46% | 57% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 53% | 69% | 77% | 75% |
| Median debt | $20,000 | $15,392 | $24,287 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $33,929 | $33,444 | $44,392 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $38,951 | $38,826 | $52,928 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US private nonprofit 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 66% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 57% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
77 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum and InstructionMaster's | Master's | 112 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's | Master's | 60 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Theological and Ministerial StudiesMaster's | Master's | 55 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $61,300 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsDoctoral | Doctoral | 39 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $113,566 |
| Bible/Biblical StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 35 | $20,500 | $23,737 | $38,117 | $44,533 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 34 | Withheld | Withheld | $40,432 | $68,257 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyMaster's | Master's | 29 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and MissiologyMaster's | Master's | 24 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 22 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $53,072 |
| Bible/Biblical StudiesAssociate's | Associate's | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $41,884 |
| Theological and Ministerial StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $44,535 |
| Theology and Religious Vocations, OtherDoctoral | Doctoral | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's | Bachelor's | 15 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $54,562 |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and MissiologyBachelor's | Bachelor's | 15 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $40,103 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign LanguageMaster's | Master's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Human Services, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,597 |
| Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $56,359 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's | Master's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's | Master's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Educational Administration and SupervisionGraduate certificate | Graduate certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Psychology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $50,706 |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and MissiologyDoctoral | Doctoral | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized MinistriesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $42,915 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | $43,210 | $47,382 |
| Bible/Biblical StudiesGraduate certificate | Graduate certificate | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: South Carolina on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in South Carolina
- Homes: Homes for sale in South Carolina
Questions and answers
How much does Columbia International University cost?
$26,036 a year is the average net price at Columbia International University after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $27,900, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $43,045. Families earning under $30,000 pay $21,955 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia International University?
94% of applicants are admitted to Columbia International University. The median admission rate of colleges in South Carolina is 75%.
How much do Columbia International University graduates earn?
$38,951 a year is the median pay of former Columbia International University students who work, 10 years after they started ($33,929 after 6 years). That ranks 2,862 of 5,094 US colleges and 39 of 78 in South Carolina. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Professional) at $40,416.
How much student debt do Columbia International University graduates have?
$20,000 is the median federal student loan debt of Columbia International University graduates, about $212 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 46% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia International University?
47% of first-time, full-time students at Columbia International University finish within 6 years. 53% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of private nonprofit 4-year colleges is 57%.
What are the most popular majors at Columbia International University?
Curriculum and Instruction (112 master's graduates), Business Administration, Management and Operations (60 master's graduates), Theological and Ministerial Studies (55 master's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 77 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.