Head-to-head comparison
Columbia College vs Culver-Stockton College: which has better ROI?
Option A Columbia, MO
Columbia College
- Net price / year
- $22,715
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,378
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Canton, MO
Culver-Stockton College
- Net price / year
- $21,983
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,092
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Culver-Stockton College comes closer — median earnings $46,092 against a $87,932 total, vs $45,378 at Columbia College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbia College | Culver-Stockton College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $22,715 | $21,983 |
| Total net cost | $90,860 | $87,932 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,378 | $46,092 |
| Median debt | $23,879 | $26,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,500 | -$133,292 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbia College or Culver-Stockton College?
Culver-Stockton College, at $21,983 a year after aid versus $22,715 — a gap of $732 a year, or $2,928 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Columbia College or Culver-Stockton College graduates earn more?
Culver-Stockton College graduates report a median $46,092 ten years after entry, $714 more than the $45,378 at Columbia College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Columbia College or Culver-Stockton College?
Columbia College: its completers carry a median $23,879 in federal loans versus $26,000 at Culver-Stockton College, a difference of $2,121. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
42% of students finish at Columbia College, against 39% at Culver-Stockton College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.