Head-to-head comparison
Columbia Southern University vs Samford University: which has better ROI?
Option A Orange Beach, AL
Columbia Southern University
- Net price / year
- $14,580
- Earnings, 10 years
- $63,534
- Payback
- 3.8 yrs
Option B Birmingham, AL
Samford University
- Net price / year
- $32,622
- Earnings, 10 years
- $58,469
- Payback
- 12.9 yrs
Columbia Southern University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $58,320 in 3.8 years versus 12.9 years at Samford University, on median earnings of $63,534 vs $58,469 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbia Southern University | Samford University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,580 | $32,622 |
| Total net cost | $58,320 | $130,488 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $63,534 | $58,469 |
| Median debt | $21,339 | $19,500 |
| Payback | 3.8 yrs | 12.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $245,160 | $71,692 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbia Southern University or Samford University?
Columbia Southern University, at $14,580 a year after aid versus $32,622 — a gap of $18,042 a year, or $72,168 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 Southern University or Samford University graduates earn more?
Columbia Southern University graduates report a median $63,534 ten years after entry, $5,065 more than the $58,469 at Samford University. 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 Southern University or Samford University?
Samford University: its completers carry a median $19,500 in federal loans versus $21,339 at Columbia Southern University, a difference of $1,839. 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?
77% of students finish at Samford University, against 33% at Columbia Southern University. 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.