Columbia College ranked in U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges for 2025

Columbia College recognized in overall rankings, as well as rankings for Best Value Schools, Top Performers on Social Mobility, and Best Colleges for Veterans in the South

Columbia College announced that it has earned several top rankings in U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges List. As a regional university, Columbia College’s 2025 rankings were compiled based on 13 measures of academic quality of over 1,500 institutions nationwide.

For the current 2025 academic year, Columbia College was ranked in 4 of the 13 lists:

• #41 (tied) in Overall Rank – Regional Universities (South)
• #12 in Best Value Schools – Regional Universities (South)
• #5 (tied) in Top Performers on Social Mobility – Regional Universities (South)
• #18 (tied) in Best Colleges for Veterans – Regional Universities (South)

“The U.S. News and World Report rankings allow us to take pride in our efforts to offer top education opportunities for our students and help us see that our priority of serving a diverse range of needs for our students is coming to fruition,” said John Dozier, president of Columbia College. “These rankings also encourage us to continue striving to offer an unparalleled college experience for our students and future Columbia College students.”

Columbia College tied for a ranking of 41 out of 135 in the Best Regional Universities in the South category, based on variables including retention and graduation rates, class sizes, student-to-faculty ratios, and acceptance rates. Columbia College moved up the rankings list this year and ranked #12 in Best Value Schools for Regional Universities in the South as a school that maintains academic quality while prioritizing affordability.

Columbia College also tied in a ranking of 5 out of 135 as a Top Performer on Social Mobility in the South as it was recognized for the impressive graduation rates of students who receive federal Pell Grants. This fall, 54% of Columbia College’s undergraduate students were Pell-eligible.

Finally, in tying for a ranking of 18 in the region for Best Colleges for Veterans, Columbia College marks a move up this list over 2024. In order to be considered for this ranking, the school must be certified for the G.I. Bill, participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program and enroll a minimum of 20 veterans and active-duty military.

For more information about the U.S. News and World Report rankings for Columbia College, please contact Emily Wilson at [email protected] or call (803) 786-3679.