GA
Columbus State University
5.69 incidents / 1,000 students
Columbus, GA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
Columbus State University
Across 2022–2024, Columbus State University reported 75 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Aggravated Assault). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Middle Georgia State University.
- 5.69
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,689
- Rank of 2,072
- #81
- GA rank
- 7,913
- Enrolled students
5.69 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Columbus State University reports 5.69 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 602% above Illinois Central College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Illinois Central College (1.52/1k); Horry-Georgetown Technical College (0.00/1k); Southern Maine Community College (0.13/1k); Saint Johns River State College (0.00/1k); State University of New York at New Paltz (2.41/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Middle Georgia State University (2.99/1k); Georgia College & State University (0.70/1k); Albany State University (6.80/1k); Mercer University (5.44/1k); Georgia Military College (0.30/1k); Clayton State University (12.17/1k); Valdosta State University (3.31/1k); Georgia Highlands College (0.19/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Aggravated Assault.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 5.69
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,689
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 82%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 35
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 139366 · Columbus State University 5.69/1k score rate · #1,689/2,072
RATE-HOT · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-HOT 5.69/1k
- RANK-BOTTOM #1,689/2,072
- ST-MID #81 in state
- ABOVE-PEER State University of New · +3.28
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 169%
- CAT-LEAD Aggravated Assault
- ENR-MID 7,913
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: State University of New York at New Paltz (-3.28/1k)
Columbus State University sheet RATE-HOT · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO · peer State University of New York at New Paltz. 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-HOT · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is State University of New York at New Paltz (-3.28/1k). National rank #1,689 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Columbus State University reports 5.69 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 602% above Illinois Central College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Illinois Central College (1.52/1k); Horry-Georgetown Technical College (0.00/1k); Southern Maine Community College (0.13/1k); Saint Johns River State College (0.00/1k); State University of New York at New Paltz (2.41/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Middle Georgia State University (2.99/1k); Georgia College & State University (0.70/1k); Albany State University (6.80/1k); Mercer University (5.44/1k); Georgia Military College (0.30/1k); Clayton State University (12.17/1k); Valdosta State University (3.31/1k); Georgia Highlands College (0.19/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Aggravated Assault.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Columbus State University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Columbus on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Horry-Georgetown Technical College · lowest peer 0
Horry-Georgetown Technical College — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Southern Maine Community College · near 0.13
Southern Maine Community College — near
0.13 per 1,000 students
- Illinois Central College · near 1.52
Illinois Central College — near
1.52 per 1,000 students
- State University of New · near
State University of New York at New Paltz — near
2.41 per 1,000 students
- Columbus State University · this campus · highest
Columbus State University — this campus · highest
5.69 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Columbus State University's 5.69/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Columbus State University increased from 27 to 35 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 GA 4-year peers in this comparison, Columbus State University is larger than 83% and safer-reporting than 14% - the larger, 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 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 11, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Columbus State University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oglethorpe University | 1,425 | 7.72 | 0 | 6 |
| Young Harris College | 1,457 | 5.49 | 3 | 17 |
| Thomas University | 1,471 | 0.00 | 6 | 89 |
| Atlanta Metropolitan State College | 1,549 | 0.00 | 8 | 89 |
| East Georgia State College | 1,820 | 21.98 | 11 | 0 |
| Piedmont University | 1,857 | 2.15 | 14 | 53 |
| South Georgia State College | 1,893 | 1.58 | 17 | 72 |
| Chamberlain University-Georgia | 1,940 | 2.06 | 19 | 58 |
| Point University | 2,260 | 3.10 | 22 | 39 |
| Brenau University | 2,436 | 1.64 | 25 | 69 |
| Berry College | 2,484 | 4.43 | 28 | 28 |
| Columbus State University (this campus) | 7,913 | 5.69 | 83 | 14 |
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 Columbus State University rose from 27 to 35 (+30%). The increase shows up in Aggravated Assault (7 to 20), Burglary (3 to 7) and Rape (3 to 5). Falling over the same period: Motor Vehicle Theft (7 to 1), Fondling (5 to 1) and Arson (1 to 0).
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 Columbus State University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 8 Clery Act categories here: Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Rape, Fondling, Motor Vehicle Theft, Arson, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter and Robbery.
The remaining 3 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, Incest, Negligent Manslaughter and Statutory Rape. 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 onlyColumbus State University: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 169% (13 → 35 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 27 |
| 2024 | 35 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated Assault | 20 | 7 | 0 |
| Burglary | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| Rape | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Fondling | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Arson | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Robbery | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 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
18 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 13 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 4 | 90 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 24 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 1 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 5 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 1 | 19 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 2 | 33 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 13 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 22 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 2 | 1 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 2 | 16 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 2 | 73 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 5 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 56 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 1 | 1 |
Columbus State University 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).
IL
Illinois Central College
1.52 incidents / 1,000 students
SC
Horry-Georgetown Technical College
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Columbus State University sits on price and outcomes
At $13,115, Columbus State University's reported average net price is cheaper than 35% among 124 Georgia colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $16,482.
- $13,115
- average net price
- $16,482
- Georgia median
- 1.5×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $7,058
- reported income-bracket spread
Net price moves with income here, but not sharply: $11,271 for families reporting under $30,000 against $18,329 above $110,000, a difference of $7,058. Aid narrows the gap without closing it, so the $13,115 average sits reasonably close to what most brackets report.
Median reported earnings six years after entry are $39,190, roughly 3.0 times a year of net price. That is a workable ratio, though it says nothing about how long the programme takes to finish.
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
- $5,898
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $17,610
- Avg Net Price
- $13,115
- Median Debt
- $26,000
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 45%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 99%
- SAT Average
- 977
- SAT Math Range
- 360-530
- ACT Average
- 21
- ACT Range
- 16-22
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 42%
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $39,190
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $44,544
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 51%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 906 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Illinois Central College
East Peoria, IL · 7,906 enrolled
Safety Score 1.52
Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Conway, SC · 7,923 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Southern Maine Community College
South Portland, ME · 7,900 enrolled
Safety Score 0.13
Saint Johns River State College
Palatka, FL · 7,927 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
State University of New York at New Paltz
New Paltz, NY · 7,898 enrolled
Safety Score 2.41
Closest by National Rank
Columbus State University (national rank #1689) sits near University of Maryland Global Campus (#1688) and Culinary Institute of America (#1690) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MD
National Rank #1688
Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, NY
National Rank #1690
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN
National Rank #1691
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
National Rank #1687
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
National Rank #1686
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Columbus State University, both outside GA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
Saint Johns River State College
Palatka, FL · 7,927 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
State University of New York at New Paltz
New Paltz, NY · 7,898 enrolled
Safety score 2.41
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN · 7,895 enrolled
Safety score 6.97
Texas A&M University-San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · 7,956 enrolled
Safety score 1.63
Community College of Denver
Denver, CO · 7,965 enrolled
Safety score 1.00
Green River College
Auburn, WA · 7,967 enrolled
Safety score 2.38
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
North Dartmouth, MA · 7,968 enrolled
Safety score 1.51
Radford University
Radford, VA · 7,812 enrolled
Safety score 3.58
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MD · 63,012 enrolled
Safety score 5.68
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · 18,012 enrolled
Safety score 5.66
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · 9,714 enrolled
Safety score 5.66
Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, NY · 3,147 enrolled
Safety score 5.72
Florida Polytechnic University
Lakeland, FL · 1,769 enrolled
Safety score 5.65
Hanover College
Hanover, IN · 1,243 enrolled
Safety score 5.63
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN · 5,746 enrolled
Safety score 5.74
Rutgers University-Newark
Newark, NJ · 11,315 enrolled
Safety score 5.74
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Columbus State University safe?
Columbus State University has a safety score of 5.69 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,689 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Illinois Central College (1.52/1k). Same-state same-level set: Middle Georgia State University (2.99/1k); Georgia College & State University (0.70/1k); Albany State University (6.80/1k); Mercer University (5.44/1k); Georgia Military College (0.30/1k); Clayton State University (12.17/1k); Valdosta State University (3.31/1k); Georgia Highlands College (0.19/1k).
What crimes are reported at Columbus State University?
For calendar year 2024, Columbus State University reported Aggravated Assault (20), Burglary (7), Rape (5), Fondling (1) and Motor Vehicle Theft (1), and 1 further category in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Columbus State University compare to similar schools?
Columbus State University reports 602% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Illinois Central College. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Illinois Central College (1.52/1k); Horry-Georgetown Technical College (0.00/1k); Southern Maine Community College (0.13/1k); Saint Johns River State College (0.00/1k); State University of New York at New Paltz (2.41/1k). Same-state same-level set: Middle Georgia State University (2.99/1k); Georgia College & State University (0.70/1k); Albany State University (6.80/1k); Mercer University (5.44/1k); Georgia Military College (0.30/1k); Clayton State University (12.17/1k); Valdosta State University (3.31/1k); Georgia Highlands College (0.19/1k).
Does Columbus State University have fire safety data?
Yes. Columbus State University 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.