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Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Non-denominational Christian
Location Columbia, SC
Population 550,000
Website https://www.ciu.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%)
Sunshine Hours 2,845 (80%)
Days Without Precipitation 255 (65%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 594
Men / Women 68% / 32%
From State 68%
From Region 15%
Athletes 37.9%

Racial/Ethnic

White 61%
Black 16%
Asian 5%
Mixed 4%
International 4%
Hispanic 1%
Native American 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 44.6% 44.6% 2012 Men: 50.0% 50.0% 2013 Men: 56.3% 56.3% 2014 Men: 41.6% 41.6% 2015 Men: 42.1% 42.1% 2016 Men: 46.9% 46.9% 2017 Men: 50.0% 50.0% 2018 Men: 48.6% 48.6% 2019 Men: 56.1% 56.1% 2020 Men: 53.5% 53.5% 2021 Men: 51.1% 51.1% 2022 Men: 48.6% 48.6% 2023 Men: 54.3% 54.3% 2024 Men: 53.6% 53.6%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Native: 2.2% 2.2% 2014 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2016 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2019 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2020 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2022 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2011 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Asian: 1.1% 1.1% 2013 Asian: 2.2% 2.2% 2014 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Asian: 1.0% 1.0% 2016 Asian: 1.9% 1.9% 2017 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2018 Asian: 2.8% 2.8% 2019 Asian: 2.9% 2.9% 2020 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Asian: 2.5% 2.5% 2023 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Asian: 1.8% 1.8% 2011 Black: 2.2% 2.2% 2012 Black: 4.5% 4.5% 2013 Black: 8.7% 8.7% 2014 Black: 4.8% 4.8% 2015 Black: 12.9% 12.9% 2016 Black: 5.6% 5.6% 2017 Black: 6.1% 6.1% 2018 Black: 2.8% 2.8% 2019 Black: 9.7% 9.7% 2020 Black: 10.6% 10.6% 2021 Black: 5.3% 5.3% 2022 Black: 7.5% 7.5% 2023 Black: 17.2% 17.2% 2024 Black: 23.9% 23.9% 2011 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Hispanic: 2.2% 2.2% 2014 Hispanic: 3.6% 3.6% 2015 Hispanic: 2.0% 2.0% 2016 Hispanic: 2.8% 2.8% 2017 Hispanic: 2.4% 2.4% 2018 Hispanic: 4.7% 4.7% 2019 Hispanic: 3.9% 3.9% 2020 Hispanic: 3.8% 3.8% 2021 Hispanic: 4.2% 4.2% 2022 Hispanic: 2.5% 2.5% 2023 Hispanic: 8.0% 8.0% 2024 Hispanic: 6.4% 6.4% 2011 White: 82.2% 82.2% 2012 White: 77.5% 77.5% 2013 White: 80.4% 80.4% 2014 White: 83.3% 83.3% 2015 White: 76.2% 76.2% 2016 White: 83.2% 83.2% 2017 White: 81.7% 81.7% 2018 White: 86.8% 86.8% 2019 White: 76.7% 76.7% 2020 White: 63.5% 63.5% 2021 White: 80.0% 80.0% 2022 White: 78.8% 78.8% 2023 White: 67.8% 67.8% 2024 White: 46.8% 46.8% 2011 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2012 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 International: 3.6% 3.6% 2015 International: 1.0% 1.0% 2016 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2017 International: 3.7% 3.7% 2018 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2019 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2020 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2021 International: 6.3% 6.3% 2022 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2023 International: 3.4% 3.4% 2024 International: 10.1% 10.1%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2021 Native: 0.4% 0.4% 2022 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2023 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2024 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2025 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2020 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2021 Asian: 1.0% 1.0% 2022 Asian: 1.5% 1.5% 2023 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2024 Asian: 2.6% 2.6% 2025 Asian: 5.4% 5.4% 2020 Black: 20.0% 20.0% 2021 Black: 21.1% 21.1% 2022 Black: 21.0% 21.0% 2023 Black: 15.7% 15.7% 2024 Black: 19.9% 19.9% 2025 Black: 16.0% 16.0% 2020 Hispanic: 6.3% 6.3% 2021 Hispanic: 5.3% 5.3% 2022 Hispanic: 3.2% 3.2% 2023 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2024 Hispanic: 1.0% 1.0% 2025 Hispanic: 0.5% 0.5% 2020 White: 58.6% 58.6% 2021 White: 55.7% 55.7% 2022 White: 54.9% 54.9% 2023 White: 57.9% 57.9% 2024 White: 60.1% 60.1% 2025 White: 61.1% 61.1% 2020 International: 4.3% 4.3% 2021 International: 4.4% 4.4% 2022 International: 5.4% 5.4% 2023 International: 6.8% 6.8% 2024 International: 3.5% 3.5% 2025 International: 4.4% 4.4%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Columbia International University 147 49% / 51% 7% $45,521 22 95%
Biomedical Sciences 2 — 50% / 50% 0% — — —
Health Sciences 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $46,883 25 —
Nursing 12 — 8% / 92% 0% $83,157 90 —
Business Administration 37 — 70% / 30% 14% $41,000 12 100%
Sport Management 17 — 65% / 35% 12% $44,465 19 —
Biblical Studies 7 +20 71% / 29% 14% $38,365 9 85%
Christian Ministry 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $42,177 14 —
Communication 5 — 20% / 80% 0% $40,983 12 —
English 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
General Studies 10 — 80% / 20% 10% $49,687 33 85%
Human Services 5 — 0% / 100% 0% $42,705 15 —
Humanities 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $49,687 33 85%
Intercultural Studies 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $41,456 13 —
International Studies 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Media Studies 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $41,038 12 —
Philosophy 2 — 50% / 50% 50% $42,459 15 —
Pre-Ministry Studies 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $42,001 14 —
Psychology 9 — 11% / 89% 11% $32,563 4 88%
Religious/Sacred Music 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $42,265 14 —
Theology — — — — $42,071 14 —
Youth Ministry 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $41,680 13 —
Education 4 — 0% / 100% 0% $43,503 17 —
Elementary Education 12 — 25% / 75% 0% $43,145 16 100%
Teaching English as a Second Language 2 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Digital Media 7 — 71% / 29% 0% $42,137 14 —
Emergency Management — — — — $46,228 23 —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $29,853
ROI Percentile 22th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 53%
4-Year Graduation Rate 37%
6-Year Graduation Rate 47%
Transfer-Out Rate 3%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 57.8% 57.8% 2012 Graduated: 70.8% 70.8% 2013 Graduated: 65.2% 65.2% 2014 Graduated: 67.9% 67.9% 2015 Graduated: 62.4% 62.4% 2016 Graduated: 73.8% 73.8% 2017 Graduated: 67.1% 67.1% 2018 Graduated: 64.2% 64.2% 2019 Graduated: 51.5% 51.5% 2020 Graduated: 68.3% 68.3% 2021 Graduated: 62.1% 62.1% 2022 Graduated: 70.0% 70.0% 2023 Graduated: 65.5% 65.5% 2024 Graduated: 46.8% 46.8%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 57.6% 57.6% 2012 Men: 58.1% 58.1% 2013 Men: 59.1% 59.1% 2014 Men: 58.3% 58.3% 2015 Men: 72.9% 72.9% 2016 Men: 74.5% 74.5% 2017 Men: 65.7% 65.7% 2018 Men: 63.0% 63.0% 2019 Men: 46.6% 46.6% 2020 Men: 70.3% 70.3% 2021 Men: 47.5% 47.5% 2022 Men: 67.6% 67.6% 2023 Men: 55.8% 55.8% 2024 Men: 34.6% 34.6% 2011 Women: 57.9% 57.9% 2012 Women: 77.6% 77.6% 2013 Women: 70.8% 70.8% 2014 Women: 75.0% 75.0% 2015 Women: 52.8% 52.8% 2016 Women: 73.2% 73.2% 2017 Women: 68.1% 68.1% 2018 Women: 65.4% 65.4% 2019 Women: 57.8% 57.8% 2020 Women: 67.2% 67.2% 2021 Women: 72.7% 72.7% 2022 Women: 72.1% 72.1% 2023 Women: 75.0% 75.0% 2024 Women: 57.9% 57.9%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Black: 50.0% 50.0% 2012 Black: 25.0% 25.0% 2013 Black: 62.5% 62.5% 2014 Black: 25.0% 25.0% 2015 Black: 69.2% 69.2% 2016 Black: 50.0% 50.0% 2017 Black: 20.0% 20.0% 2018 Black: 66.7% 66.7% 2019 Black: 40.0% 40.0% 2020 Black: 36.4% 36.4% 2021 Black: 20.0% 20.0% 2022 Black: 16.7% 16.7% 2023 Black: 40.0% 40.0% 2024 Black: 34.6% 34.6% 2013 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 Hispanic: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2016 Hispanic: 66.7% 66.7% 2017 Hispanic: 100.0% 100.0% 2018 Hispanic: 20.0% 20.0% 2019 Hispanic: 25.0% 25.0% 2020 Hispanic: 75.0% 75.0% 2021 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2022 Hispanic: 100.0% 100.0% 2023 Hispanic: 57.1% 57.1% 2024 Hispanic: 14.3% 14.3% 2011 White: 58.1% 58.1% 2012 White: 72.5% 72.5% 2013 White: 68.9% 68.9% 2014 White: 74.3% 74.3% 2015 White: 62.3% 62.3% 2016 White: 79.8% 79.8% 2017 White: 71.6% 71.6% 2018 White: 68.5% 68.5% 2019 White: 53.2% 53.2% 2020 White: 68.2% 68.2% 2021 White: 64.5% 64.5% 2022 White: 73.0% 73.0% 2023 White: 74.6% 74.6% 2024 White: 68.6% 68.6% 2011 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2014 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2016 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 International: 66.7% 66.7% 2018 International: 50.0% 50.0% 2019 International: 50.0% 50.0% 2020 International: 50.0% 50.0% 2021 International: 66.7% 66.7% 2022 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2023 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2024 International: 36.4% 36.4%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Business & Economics 36.7% 54 69% / 31% 13% $42,091 14 100%
Humanities & Social Sciences 36.1% 53 45% / 55% 8% $41,454 13 86%
Education 12.2% 18 17% / 83% 0% $43,235 16 100%
Health Sciences 8.8% 13 15% / 85% 0% $80,367 88 —
Arts 4.8% 7 71% / 29% 0% $42,137 14 —
Life & Natural Sciences 1.4% 2 50% / 50% 0% — — —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Business & Economics — — — — 55 #7 — —
Humanities & Social Sciences — — — — 36 #129 — —
Education — — — — 10 #332 — —
Agriculture & Food Science — — — — — — — —
Computer Science — — — — — — — —
Engineering — — — — — — — —
Health Sciences — — — — — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences — — — — — — — —
Physical Sciences & Math — — — — — — — —
Total — — — — 101 #175 — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 46%
Yield (Unbound) 35%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 46% 46% 46%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 66.7% 66.7% 2012 Acceptance: 64.3% 64.3% 2013 Acceptance: 62.6% 62.6% 2014 Acceptance: 33.2% 33.2% 2015 Acceptance: 34.0% 34.0% 2016 Acceptance: 35.7% 35.7% 2017 Acceptance: 28.3% 28.3% 2018 Acceptance: 33.4% 33.4% 2019 Acceptance: 47.9% 47.9% 2020 Acceptance: 50.7% 50.7% 2021 Acceptance: 45.6% 45.6% 2022 Acceptance: 48.2% 48.2% 2023 Acceptance: 97.6% 97.6% 2024 Acceptance: 94.5% 94.5% 2011 Yield: 50.0% 50.0% 2012 Yield: 52.2% 52.2% 2013 Yield: 54.5% 54.5% 2014 Yield: 47.1% 47.1% 2015 Yield: 50.5% 50.5% 2016 Yield: 44.3% 44.3% 2017 Yield: 53.3% 53.3% 2018 Yield: 53.4% 53.4% 2019 Yield: 82.0% 82.0% 2020 Yield: 75.8% 75.8% 2021 Yield: 73.3% 73.3% 2022 Yield: 73.4% 73.4% 2023 Yield: 32.0% 32.0% 2024 Yield: 35.1% 35.1%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 250 500 750 1,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 249 249 2012 Applicants: 322 322 2013 Applicants: 302 302 2014 Applicants: 569 569 2015 Applicants: 553 553 2016 Applicants: 518 518 2017 Applicants: 584 584 2018 Applicants: 611 611 2019 Applicants: 336 336 2020 Applicants: 448 448 2021 Applicants: 526 526 2022 Applicants: 506 506 2023 Applicants: 372 372 2024 Applicants: 416 416 2011 Admitted: 166 166 2012 Admitted: 207 207 2013 Admitted: 189 189 2014 Admitted: 189 189 2015 Admitted: 188 188 2016 Admitted: 185 185 2017 Admitted: 165 165 2018 Admitted: 204 204 2019 Admitted: 161 161 2020 Admitted: 227 227 2021 Admitted: 240 240 2022 Admitted: 244 244 2023 Admitted: 363 363 2024 Admitted: 393 393 2011 Enrolled: 83 83 2012 Enrolled: 108 108 2013 Enrolled: 103 103 2014 Enrolled: 89 89 2015 Enrolled: 95 95 2016 Enrolled: 82 82 2017 Enrolled: 88 88 2018 Enrolled: 109 109 2019 Enrolled: 132 132 2020 Enrolled: 172 172 2021 Enrolled: 176 176 2022 Enrolled: 179 179 2023 Enrolled: 116 116 2024 Enrolled: 138 138

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 1020 1020 2012 25th: 980 980 2013 25th: 940 940 2014 25th: 980 980 2015 25th: 930 930 2016 25th: 928 928 2017 25th: 840 840 2018 25th: 940 940 2019 25th: 930 930 2020 25th: 940 940 2021 25th: 940 940 2022 25th: 990 990 2011 75th: 1210 1210 2012 75th: 1210 1210 2013 75th: 1200 1200 2014 75th: 1190 1190 2015 75th: 1130 1130 2016 75th: 1200 1200 2017 75th: 1070 1070 2018 75th: 1120 1120 2019 75th: 1140 1140 2020 75th: 1150 1150 2021 75th: 1135 1135 2022 75th: 1195 1195

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 450 500 550 600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 490 490 2012 25th: 480 480 2013 25th: 460 460 2014 25th: 470 470 2015 25th: 450 450 2016 25th: 468 468 2017 25th: 410 410 2018 25th: 470 470 2019 25th: 450 450 2020 25th: 460 460 2021 25th: 460 460 2022 25th: 490 490 2011 75th: 580 580 2012 75th: 590 590 2013 75th: 580 580 2014 75th: 590 590 2015 75th: 550 550 2016 75th: 590 590 2017 75th: 530 530 2018 75th: 540 540 2019 75th: 560 560 2020 75th: 560 560 2021 75th: 540 540 2022 75th: 575 575

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 530 530 2012 25th: 500 500 2013 25th: 480 480 2014 25th: 510 510 2015 25th: 480 480 2016 25th: 460 460 2017 25th: 430 430 2018 25th: 470 470 2019 25th: 480 480 2020 25th: 480 480 2021 25th: 480 480 2022 25th: 500 500 2011 75th: 630 630 2012 75th: 620 620 2013 75th: 620 620 2014 75th: 600 600 2015 75th: 580 580 2016 75th: 610 610 2017 75th: 540 540 2018 75th: 580 580 2019 75th: 580 580 2020 75th: 590 590 2021 75th: 595 595 2022 75th: 620 620

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2012 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2014 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2016 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2017 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2018 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2019 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2020 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2021 Submitted: 60.0% 60.0% 2022 Submitted: 70.0% 70.0% 2024 Submitted: 2.0% 2.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.