SC
Columbia College
2.32 incidents / 1,000 students
Columbia, SC · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit
Columbia College
Across 2022–2024, Columbia College reported 7 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Burglary). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Benedict College.
- 2.32
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,124
- Rank of 2,072
- #39
- SC rank
- 1,725
- Enrolled students
2.32 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Columbia College reports 2.32 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 82% above The University of the South. Similar-enrollment scored peers: The University of the South (5.22/1k); College of Micronesia-FSM (1.16/1k); Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach (0.00/1k); Ohio University-Southern Campus (0.00/1k); Cloud County Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Benedict College (0.00/1k); Converse University (3.92/1k); Wofford College (7.15/1k); Claflin University (6.48/1k); Newberry College (11.72/1k); Strayer University-South Carolina (1.42/1k); Coker University (4.53/1k); University of South Carolina Beaufort (3.17/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 2.32
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,124
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 54%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 4
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 217934 · Columbia College 2.32/1k score rate · #1,124/2,072
RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-MID 2.32/1k
- RANK-LOWER #1,124/2,072
- ST-MID #39 in state
- ABOVE-PEER College of Micronesia-FSM · +1.16
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 300%
- CAT-LEAD Burglary
- ENR-SMALL 1,725
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: College of Micronesia-FSM (-1.16/1k)
Columbia College sheet RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO · peer College of Micronesia-FSM. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-MID · RANK-LOWER · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is College of Micronesia-FSM (-1.16/1k). National rank #1,124 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Columbia College reports 2.32 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 82% above The University of the South. Similar-enrollment scored peers: The University of the South (5.22/1k); College of Micronesia-FSM (1.16/1k); Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach (0.00/1k); Ohio University-Southern Campus (0.00/1k); Cloud County Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Benedict College (0.00/1k); Converse University (3.92/1k); Wofford College (7.15/1k); Claflin University (6.48/1k); Newberry College (11.72/1k); Strayer University-South Carolina (1.42/1k); Coker University (4.53/1k); University of South Carolina Beaufort (3.17/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Columbia College
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Columbia on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia · lowest peer 0
Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Ohio University-Southern Campus · near 0
Ohio University-Southern Campus — near
0 per 1,000 students
- College of Micronesia-FSM · near 1.16
College of Micronesia-FSM — near
1.16 per 1,000 students
- Columbia College · this campus
Columbia College — this campus
2.32 per 1,000 students
- The University of the · highest peer
The University of the South — highest peer
5.22 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Columbia College's 2.32/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Columbia College increased from 2 to 4 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 SC 4-year peers in this comparison, Columbia College is larger than 42% and safer-reporting than 44% - the smaller, higher-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Columbia College: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton College | 126 | 0.00 | 0 | 72 |
| American College of the Building Arts | 155 | 0.00 | 3 | 72 |
| Morris College | 383 | 13.05 | 6 | 3 |
| Sherman College of Chiropractic | 387 | 0.00 | 8 | 72 |
| South University-Columbia | 504 | 0.00 | 11 | 72 |
| Voorhees University | 578 | 0.00 | 14 | 72 |
| Allen University | 610 | 0.00 | 17 | 72 |
| Charleston School of Law | 692 | 0.00 | 19 | 72 |
| Erskine College | 912 | 0.00 | 22 | 72 |
| Southern Wesleyan University | 980 | 0.00 | 25 | 72 |
| Presbyterian College | 1,095 | 6.39 | 28 | 22 |
| Columbia College (this campus) | 1,725 | 2.32 | 42 | 44 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Columbia College rose from 2 to 4 (+100%). The increase shows up in Aggravated Assault (0 to 1) and Motor Vehicle Theft (0 to 1).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Columbia College
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 4 Clery Act categories here: Burglary, Rape, Aggravated Assault and Motor Vehicle Theft.
The remaining 7 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Arson, Fondling, Incest and Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlyColumbia College: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 300% (1 → 4 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rape | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fondling | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 4 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 3 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 1 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
Columbia College vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
TN
The University of the South
5.22 incidents / 1,000 students
FM
College of Micronesia-FSM
1.16 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Columbia College sits on price and outcomes
At $18,408, Columbia College's reported average net price is cheaper than 63% among 81 South Carolina colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $16,525.
- $18,408
- average net price
- $16,525
- South Carolina median
- 2.0×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $2,858
- reported income-bracket spread
Price barely responds to income at this institution. Families under $30,000 report $17,541 and those above $110,000 report $20,399, a difference of just $2,858. Where the curve is this flat, need-based aid is doing little of the work and the sticker figure is close to what most families actually pay.
Six-year median earnings of $45,863 run about 2.5 times the annual net price. The margin is real but narrow, so how many years of price a student actually pays matters a great deal here.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $22,214
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $22,214
- Avg Net Price
- $18,408
- Median Debt
- $22,750
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 54%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 94%
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 45%
- Retention Rate
- 60%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $45,863
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $41,338
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 56%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 1,319 similar institutions by enrollment size.
The University of the South
Sewanee, TN · 1,724 enrolled
Safety Score 5.22
College of Micronesia-FSM
Pohnpei, FM · 1,729 enrolled
Safety Score 1.16
Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA · 1,717 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Ohio University-Southern Campus
Ironton, OH · 1,716 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Cloud County Community College
Concordia, KS · 1,715 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Closest by National Rank
Columbia College (national rank #1124) sits near University of Louisiana at Monroe (#1125) and The University of Texas at Tyler (#1123) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA
National Rank #1125
The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX
National Rank #1123
Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA
National Rank #1126
Southwest Technical College
Cedar City, UT
National Rank #1122
Palmer College of Chiropractic
Davenport, IA
National Rank #1121
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Columbia College, both outside SC so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
The University of the South
Sewanee, TN · 1,724 enrolled
Safety score 5.22
College of Micronesia-FSM
Pohnpei, FM · 1,729 enrolled
Safety score 1.16
Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA · 1,717 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
Ohio University-Southern Campus
Ironton, OH · 1,716 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
SAE Institute of Technology-Nashville
Nashville, TN · 1,712 enrolled
Safety score 0.58
The College of Wooster
Wooster, OH · 1,738 enrolled
Safety score 9.21
Kent State University at Ashtabula
Ashtabula, OH · 1,739 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
Linfield University
Mcminnville, OR · 1,709 enrolled
Safety score 3.51
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX · 10,362 enrolled
Safety score 2.32
Palmer College of Chiropractic
Davenport, IA · 2,161 enrolled
Safety score 2.31
Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN · 8,214 enrolled
Safety score 2.31
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA · 8,601 enrolled
Safety score 2.33
Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA · 1,290 enrolled
Safety score 2.33
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI · 23,803 enrolled
Safety score 2.31
Lebanon Valley College
Annville, PA · 2,146 enrolled
Safety score 2.33
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA · 5,205 enrolled
Safety score 2.31
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Columbia College safe?
Columbia College has a safety score of 2.32 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,124 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: The University of the South (5.22/1k). Same-state same-level set: Benedict College (0.00/1k); Converse University (3.92/1k); Wofford College (7.15/1k); Claflin University (6.48/1k); Newberry College (11.72/1k); Strayer University-South Carolina (1.42/1k); Coker University (4.53/1k); University of South Carolina Beaufort (3.17/1k).
What crimes are reported at Columbia College?
For calendar year 2024, Columbia College reported Aggravated Assault (1), Burglary (1), Motor Vehicle Theft (1) and Rape (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Columbia College compare to similar schools?
Columbia College reports 82% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than The University of the South. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: The University of the South (5.22/1k); College of Micronesia-FSM (1.16/1k); Bryant & Stratton College-Virginia Beach (0.00/1k); Ohio University-Southern Campus (0.00/1k); Cloud County Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set: Benedict College (0.00/1k); Converse University (3.92/1k); Wofford College (7.15/1k); Claflin University (6.48/1k); Newberry College (11.72/1k); Strayer University-South Carolina (1.42/1k); Coker University (4.53/1k); University of South Carolina Beaufort (3.17/1k).
Does Columbia College have fire safety data?
Yes. Columbia College reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.