Columbus State University · Georgia
Columbus State scholarships and merit aid
Georgia residents with strong academics can access state scholarship programs alongside campus honors and research awards.
The short answer
Is Columbus State worth a closer look?
Columbus State may be worth checking, but its awards do not follow a simple grades-and-scores chart. Start with the published scholarships below.
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Published scholarships
These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.
See costs and school data
Who this school may work for
This page is for Georgia residents who may qualify for HOPE or Zell Miller scholarships, as well as students seeking an honors college experience with funding for undergraduate research and creative projects.
Published yearly cost: Approximately $27,478 for 2026-2027. Source
Cost and graduation facts
Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Columbus State, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.
| Family income | Average net price paid |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $11,271 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $11,873 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $13,786 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $16,542 |
| $110,001+ | $18,329 |
| All income levels (average) | $13,115 |
Sticker price vs. what students actually pay
- Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
- $5,898
- Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
- $17,610
- Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
- $13,115
That works out to roughly a 39% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $21,676 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).
Columbus State is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.
Outcomes for students who enrolled here
- Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
- 42%
- First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
- 70%
- Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
- $26,000 (~$276/mo on a 10-yr plan)
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
- $44,544
- Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
- 57%
- Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
- 43%
See other scholarships and cost examples
Other Columbus State scholarships worth checking
These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.
Columbus State merit aid FAQ
What is the deadline for College Scholarships For Undergraduates?
The deadline for Honors College Scholarships for Undergraduates is April 15 each year.
What is the deadline for Educational Activity Grant?
Applications for the Honors Educational Activity Grant are due September 15, December 15, and April 15 of each year.
See sources and other schools
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against Columbus State’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
- Cost of attendanceColumbus State cost-of-attendance worksheet
- Merit tiersStudent Research And Creative Endeavors Srace Grants
- Merit tiersHope Scholarship
Compare with similar schools
- Augusta University merit aid. Georgia public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
- Clayton State merit aid. Georgia public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
- Georgia College merit aid. Georgia public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
- Georgia Gwinnett College merit aid. Georgia public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
