Columbia Southern University vs Ashford University

Columbia Southern University and Ashford University, both established online institutions, offer a wide range of programs and flexible learning options for students seeking higher education. While they share some similarities, there are key differences that set them apart. Columbia Southern boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students with diverse backgrounds. Ashford University, on the other hand, has a slightly higher graduation rate, indicating a strong commitment to student success. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details, including popular majors, student body demographics, and additional factors that may influence your decision. Discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences, and take the first step towards achieving your educational aspirations.

	Ashford University	Columbia Southern University
Overview
Location	San Diego, California	Orange Beach, Alabama
Campus setting	City: Large	Town: Fringe
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (For Profit)	Private (For Profit)
Calendar system	Non Traditional	Non Traditional
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	31.0%	40.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	Not required	Not required
High school GPA	N/A	N/A
Recommendation letters	N/A	N/A
High school transcript	N/A	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$30,665	$19,177
Average net price	$23,585	$12,474
Tuition	$13,280	$5,640
Room & board
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	93.0% Average amount $4,803	56.0% Average amount $3,123
Students receiving federal student loan	62.0% Average amount $6,400	41.0% Average amount $5,701
Students taking out private loans	0.0% Average amount $0	0.0% Average amount $0

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	33,084 Men 36.6% Women 63.4%	11,672 Men 65.2% Women 34.8%
Graduate students	7,278 Men 30.6% Women 69.4%	4,740 Men 53.9% Women 46.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	0.2%	0.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	Town: Fringe
Dormitory capacity	N/A	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Education Health Professions Psychology Law Enforcement and Firefighting	Business Law Enforcement and Firefighting Engineering Technologies Health Professions Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio	21:1	31:1
Institutional accreditation	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	9.5%	33.4%
Dropout rate	72.0%	57.6%
Transferred out	17.6%	2.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,719 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $60,293 Military Applied Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $56,415 Year 3: $58,856 Public Administration (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,833 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $58,095 International Business (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,012 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $57,228 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $54,455 Year 2: $51,179 Year 3: $49,905 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,247 Year 2: $48,911 Year 3: $49,817 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,178 Year 2: $50,149 Year 3: $49,671 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,321 Year 2: $45,618 Year 3: $49,490 Educational/Instructional Media Design (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,651 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $47,089 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,533 Year 2: $43,872 Year 3: $45,202	Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $79,983 Year 2: $68,880 Year 3: $78,451 Public Administration (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $57,300 Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $75,520 Homeland Security (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,707 Year 2: $71,473 Year 3: $73,060 Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,385 Year 2: $67,304 Year 3: $72,485 Fire Protection (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,128 Year 2: $69,691 Year 3: $71,770 Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $71,839 Year 2: $69,785 Year 3: $67,888 Fire Protection (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $66,269 Year 2: $61,922 Year 3: $65,587 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,097 Year 2: $58,092 Year 3: $62,377 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,105 Year 2: $62,260 Year 3: $59,697 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,526 Year 2: $58,990 Year 3: $59,493

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Columbia Southern University vs Ashford University

Ashford University

Columbia Southern University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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