Columbia Southern University offers 72 major programs for degree granting/certificate programs. Of that, the distance learning opportunity (online degrees/courses) is given to 72 major programs - 17 Certificate, 10 Associate, 20 Bachelors, 13 Masters, 2 Doctorate, and 10 Post-graduate Certificate.

The 2025 tuition & fees is $6,224 for undergraduate programs and $3,936 for graduate programs.

Total of 17,763 students have enrolled in the school online exclusively. Last year, total 9,287 students have completed their degree/certificate program through distance learning.

Columbia Southern University is accredited by Distance Education Accrediting Commission.

Online Degrees / Programs Overview
School NameColumbia Southern University
TypeFour-year, Private (for-profit)
Address21982 University Lane, Orange Beach, AL
Online Students17,763
Undergraduate Tuition & Fees$6,224
Graduate Tuition & Fees$3,936
Student to Faculty37:1 (2.70%)
Online Degree Programs
Total72 Programs
Certificate17 Programs
Associates10 Programs
Bachelors20 Programs
Masters13 Programs
Doctorate2 Programs
Post-Graduate10 Programs

2025 Tuition & Fees

The following table and chart describe 2024-2025 tuition & fees and costs trends over last 5 years at Columbia Southern University. Each cost is an average amount over the all offered programs. The tuition & fees is $6,224 for all students. For graduate programs, the 2025 tuition & fees is $3,936 for all students.

The cost per credit hour for part-time students or overload credits of full-time students is $270 for undergraduate programs.

Tuition Changes (2021-2025)
2020-20212021-20222022-20232023-20242024-2025
Undergraduate$5,775$5,775$6,015$5,808$6,224
Graduate$4,035$4,035$4,155$3,820$3,936
Tuition Changes (2021-2025)
2020-20212021-20222022-20232023-20242024-2025
Undergraduate$235$235$245$270$270
Graduate$0$0$0-$1$0
Data source: IPEDS (integrated Postsecondary Education Data System)

Online Programs By Area of Study

Columbia Southern University offers 72 degree programs through Certificate, Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, Post-Graduate Certificate programs. Of that, 72 programs can be conferred by distance learning - 17 Certificates, 10 Associates, 20 Bachelors, 13 Masters, 2 Doctorate, 10 Post-Bachelors or Post-Masters.

The following table summarizes the number of degree programs by degree types.

Total Number of Online Degree Programs
CertificateAssociatesBachelors MastersDoctorate Post-Graduate
Online Programs171020 13210
Overall Programs171020 13210

Majors and number of completers

The following tables show the offered programs by degree/certificate along with number of completers for each program last year.

What is Communication and Journalism program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Environmental Studies15 NOT OFFERED 96NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 6
What is Computer and Information Sciences program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
CommunicationNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 2NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Education program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Information Technology3 112 8729 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance7 NOT OFFERED 142NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Engineering Technology program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Educational/Instructional Technology6 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED8 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Liberal Arts and Sciences, Humanities program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician40 569 964576 1 15
What is Military Technologies and Applied Sciences program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
General StudiesNOT OFFERED 116 NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Military Technology and Applied Sciences Management1 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, and Firefighting program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Sport and Fitness Administration/ManagementONLY IN CLASSROOM NOT OFFERED NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Human Services program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement AdministrationNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 30162 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Criminal Justice/Police ScienceNOT OFFERED 188 31NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Fire Services AdministrationNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 1,139174 NOT OFFERED ONLY IN CLASSROOM
Fire Science/Fire-fighting25 687 2NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Homeland SecurityNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 7194 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management5 NOT OFFERED 27127 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Critical Infrastructure ProtectionNOT OFFERED 19 11NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Forensic Science and TechnologyNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 14NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Public AdministrationNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED158 NOT OFFERED 7
What is Business program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Health/Health Care Administration/ManagementNOT OFFERED 6 1536 NOT OFFERED 4
Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder4 55 NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)NOT OFFERED 186 120NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician8 NOT OFFERED 129NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Public HealthNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED68 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
What is Business program?
CertificateAssociate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoratePost-Graduate
Business Administration and Management2 304 689979 40 NOT OFFERED
Project Management9 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 10
Organizational LeadershipNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 111207 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
FinanceONLY IN CLASSROOM NOT OFFERED 7NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 5
Hospitality Administration/Management1 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration13 NOT OFFERED 157NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED 12
Human Resources DevelopmentNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED61 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED
Marketing/Marketing Management3 NOT OFFERED NOT OFFEREDNOT OFFERED NOT OFFERED ONLY IN CLASSROOM

Distance Learning Program Student Population

Since Columbia Southern University is an online college that all programs are offered via distance learning, all 17,763 students have enrolled online exclusively.

Distance Learning Enrollment Distribution
Total Enrollment17,763
Enrolled Exclusively in Online Courses17,763
Enrolled in Some But Not All Online Courses-
Not Enrolled In Any Online Courses-

By location where enrolled students live, out of a total of 17,763 enrolled exclusively in online courses, 1,270 Alabama Residents were enrolled in online classes exclusively, 16,150 students living in the U.S. States other than Alabama, and 272 non-U.S. students enrolled in online courses.

Distance Learning Enrollment By Student Location
Enrolled Exclusively in Online Courses17,763
Alabama Resident1,270
Other State In U.S.16,150
Outside of U.S.272
Distance Learning Enrollment By Degree
Enrolled Exclusively in Online Courses17,763
Undergraduate12,213
Graduate5,550
Distance Learning Enrollment Undergraduate Students
Enrolled Exclusively in Undergraduate Online Courses12,213
Degree/Certificate Seeking12,176
Non-Degree/Certificate Seeking37

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