Columbia Southern University (CSU) is a private for-profit online university based in Orange Beach, Alabama, founded in 1993. It had 17,763 students in fall 2024, all undergraduates studying online and 92% of them aged 25 or over. Its pros are low tuition, respected occupational safety and fire science programs, military tuition assistance and regional (SACSCOC) accreditation since 2022; its cons are for-profit ownership, a large student-to-faculty ratio and bachelor’s graduation rates around one in four for first-time students.
Below are the pros and cons in detail, with cost, outcome and accreditation figures from the federal College Navigator database, so you can judge whether Columbia Southern is legit and a good school for you.
Columbia Southern University at a Glance
- Type: private for-profit online university.
- Location: Orange Beach, Alabama; all undergraduate study is online.
- Programs: more than 120 degree programs from associate to doctoral level, plus 29 certificates, across six colleges including Safety & Emergency Services and Space, Intelligence, and Military Operations.
- Enrollment (fall 2024): 17,763 total, 12,213 undergraduate.
- Student-to-faculty ratio: 37 to 1.
- Admission: open admission.
Pros: What Columbia Southern Does Well
- Low tuition. Tuition and fees were $6,760 for 2024-2025, and the average net price after grants was $13,117 in 2023-2024.
- Strong niche in safety and fire science. CSU’s first programs, in 1994, were in environmental engineering and occupational safety and health. Its occupational safety and health programs are Qualified Academic Programs through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, and its fire science programs are recognised through the National Fire Academy’s FESHE network.
- Military-friendly. CSU is one of about 140 schools approved to offer tuition assistance through the U.S. Army’s GoArmyEd portal.
- Regional accreditation. SACSCOC accredited CSU in 2022 to award associate through doctoral degrees, replacing its earlier national accreditation.
- Moderate borrowing. 43% of full-time first-time students took out federal loans in 2023-2024, averaging $6,062.
- Built for adults. Every undergraduate studies online and most are over 25, so courses are designed around jobs and shifts.
Cons: What to Weigh Before You Enroll at Columbia Southern
- Low completion for first-time students. Of first-time bachelor’s students who began in 2018-19, 24% finished in four years and 26% in six. The overall graduation rate was 33%.
- Retention is modest. 71% of full-time first-time students returned for a second year.
- Tuition went up. Tuition and fees rose 16.4% between 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
- For-profit ownership. CSU is a private, for-profit company rather than a nonprofit or public university.
- Newer regional accreditation. SACSCOC accreditation dates only from 2022, and the nursing bachelor’s program was still at the pre-accreditation stage with NLN CNEA in 2025. Check how your credits would transfer, especially credits earned before 2022.
- Limited instructor contact on paper. The student-to-faculty ratio is 37 to 1.
What Columbia Southern Costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, 2024-2025 | $6,760 |
| Total estimated cost living off campus (not with family), 2024-2025 | $22,500 |
| Average net price, 2023-2024 | $13,117 |
| Average grant for first-time students, 2023-2024 | $4,983 |
By income, the 2023-2024 net price ranged from $12,913 for families earning up to $30,000 to $17,408 above $110,000. Because tuition itself is low, most of the net price reflects living costs that you would pay anyway if you study while working.
Is Columbia Southern University a Good School? What the Numbers Say
For working adults in occupational safety, fire and emergency services, criminal justice or business, especially service members using tuition assistance, CSU is a legitimate, low-cost option with regionally accredited degrees and programs recognised in the safety field.
The completion figures for first-time students are low, and it is a for-profit school. Students without work experience or a clear career goal should compare it with public online programs.
Who Accredits Columbia Southern University?
CSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) since 2022, and College Navigator lists its next review for 2027. It was previously accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission from 2001 to 2023. Its business program received ACBSP accreditation in 2023.
Who Columbia Southern Suits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere
A good fit for: safety professionals, firefighters and emergency responders, military students using GoArmyEd, and adults who want a low-cost online degree.
Worth comparing alternatives if: you are a recent high school graduate, want a campus experience, or prefer a nonprofit or public university.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Columbia Southern University accredited? Yes, by SACSCOC since 2022.
- Is Columbia Southern regionally accredited? Yes. SACSCOC is a regional accreditor; before 2022 CSU held national accreditation from DEAC.
- Is Columbia Southern a for-profit school? Yes.
- Is Columbia Southern online? Yes. All undergraduate students study online.