For the 2022-23 academic year, Columbia Southern University raised its tuition by 4.2%, as revealed in the most recent report, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Students enrolled at the four-year private for-profit university paid $6,125 this year, an increase of $350 from the $5,775 tuition fee charged during the 2021-22 academic year.
Approximately 8% of the undergraduate student body at the university are residents of Alabama. The remaining 90% come from other states, while international students make up 2%.
Data indicates that 67% of full-time undergraduates who began studies at Columbia Southern University in 2022-23 received some form of student financial aid. Specifically, 100 students were awarded grants or scholarships totaling $399,522, and 96 students obtained student loans amounting to over $593,499.
Across the entire undergraduate population, 2,879 students received grants or scholarships totaling $9.7 million. Additionally, 2,698 students borrowed a combined total of $16.5 million in federal student loans.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Type of Aid | Number of students awarded aid | Percent awarded aid | Total amount of aid awarded | Average amount of aid per student |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal grants | 93 | 47% | $382,690 | $4,115 |
| State / local grant or scholarship | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Institutional grants or scholarships | 28 | 14% | $16,832 | $601 |
| Grant or scholarship aid total | 100 | 51% | $399,522 | $3,995 |
| Federal student loans | 96 | 49% | $593,499 | $6,182 |
| Other student loans | 0 | 0% | $0 | $0 |
| Student loan aid | 96 | 49% | $593,499 | $6,182 |
| Total student aid | 132 | 67% | $993,021 | $7,522 |
