Do Students Succeed at Columbus State Community College?
A data-driven look at student outcomes at Columbus State Community College — completion rates, transfers, and enrollment status.
Student Success at Columbus State Community College at a Glance
Columbus State Community College is a public institution offering four year or above programs located in Columbus, OH. Current enrollment is 28,081 students.
- 28.1% overall graduation rate (IPEDS)
- 29.6% of all entering students earn their award within 8 years
- 78% of exiters from its largest program (Medical Assisting -- Certificate) were employed within 6 months — verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
- DOL-verified median earnings of $20,989 per quarter after exiting Medical Assisting -- Certificate
- 4,529 graduates across 140 programs in 2024
- VA-approved for GI Bill benefits — 636 students used them here
Program-Level Results · Verified by the U.S. Department of Labor
Verified Program Outcomes
Completion and employment results reported to the U.S. Department of Labor for Columbus State Community College programs on the state Eligible Training Provider List. Missing values ("—") mean the state suppressed or did not report that metric — they never mean zero.
| Program | Completion rate | Employed 6 mo after exit | Employed 1 yr after exit | Median quarterly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assisting -- Certificate | 20% | 78% | 75% | $20,989 |
| Construction Plumbing Apprentice Level 1 - Certificate | 45% | 85% | 84% | — |
| Nursing AAS Degree | 58% | 84% | 83% | $13,528 |
| Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate | 98% | — | — | — |
| Business Management AAS Degree | 44% | 85% | 85% | $23,537 |
| Business Office Administration (BOA) Bookkeeping Certificate | 51% | 74% | 76% | $23,119 |
| Construction Trades Carpenter ATS | 25% | 94% | 96% | $12,910 |
| Electronic Engineering Technology AAS | 5% | 89% | 89% | — |
| Certificate of Accounting Concentration (CPA Exam Prep) | 17% | — | — | — |
| Early Childhood Education and Administration Certificate | 97% | — | — | — |
| Real Estate AAS | 44% | 68% | 68% | $14,044 |
| Pharmacy Technician Certificate | 69% | — | 75% | — |
| Building Information Modeling (BIM) Certificate | 28% | 89% | 89% | — |
| Paramedic Certificate | 100% | — | — | — |
| Practical Nursing Certificate | 99% | — | — | — |
| Aviation Maintenance Airframe Certificate | 23% | — | — | — |
| Aviation Maintenance Powerplant Certificate | 100% | — | — | — |
| Business Management - Entrepreneurship AAS | 20% | 74% | 74% | $17,430 |
| Business Office Applications Office Specialist Certificate | 36% | — | — | — |
| Emergency Medical Services Technology AAS | 45% | 89% | 83% | — |
| Exercise Specialist Certificate | 37% | 87% | 87% | $10,927 |
| Paralegal Studies AAS | 44% | 83% | 81% | $18,866 |
| Business Management - Human Resources Management AAS | 20% | 81% | 90% | $11,762 |
| Sterile Processing Technology Certificate | 35% | 90% | 100% | $12,117 |
| Project Management Certificate | 42% | — | — | — |
| Hotel Administration Certificate | 30% | 88% | 88% | $13,183 |
| Finance Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) | 24% | 75% | 94% | $23,764 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology AAS | 46% | 80% | 76% | $23,193 |
| Phlebotomy Certificate | 94% | 77% | 92% | $13,383 |
| Construction HVAC Certificate | 31% | 73% | 73% | $22,114 |
| Interactive Media - Video Game Art and Animation Track AAS | 43% | 65% | 68% | $15,849 |
| Fire Science - Professional Track AAS | 54% | 89% | 96% | $18,186 |
| Facilities Maintenance Certificate | 14% | 89% | 89% | — |
| Associate of Arts - Health Communication | 18% | 92% | 92% | $15,238 |
| Business Office Administration - Administrative Assistant Major | 51% | 85% | 86% | $9,930 |
| Train the Trainer Certificate | 53% | 80% | 77% | $10,857 |
| Radiography/Medical Imaging Associate Degree | 42% | 92% | 96% | $9,189 |
| Culinary Apprenticeship AAS | 11% | 100% | 100% | $8,341 |
| Database Specialist Certificate | 25% | — | — | — |
| International Commerce Certificate | 23% | 62% | 62% | $13,704 |
| Massage Therapy Advanced Techniques Certificate | 42% | 61% | 56% | $17,860 |
| Dental Hygiene Associate Degree | 39% | 94% | 94% | $13,352 |
| Intermediate Pipe & Plate Tig Welder Certificate | 30% | 76% | 71% | $16,458 |
| Hospitality Management - Hotel, Tourism and Event Management AAS | 38% | 73% | 73% | $12,222 |
| Sport & Exercise Studies - Sport Management Major AAS | 7% | — | — | — |
| Addiction Studies Certificate | 65% | 80% | 75% | $8,418 |
| Surgical Technology AAS | 43% | 75% | 75% | $11,459 |
| Geographic Information System GIS Certificate | 36% | 92% | 100% | — |
| Computer Science Network Administrator Certificate | 90% | — | — | — |
| AWS Academy Cloud Development | 100% | — | — | — |
| AWS Academy Cloud Operations | 100% | — | — | — |
| Respiratory Care AAS Degree | 42% | 63% | 88% | $22,665 |
| Medical Coding Certificate | 63% | 65% | 59% | — |
| Nurse Aide Training Program Certificate | 50% | 67% | 80% | $4,000 |
| Baking Certificate | 31% | 100% | 80% | $14,398 |
| Health Information Management Technician Certificate | 36% | 38% | 38% | $8,941 |
| Carpenter Apprenticeship Readiness Certificate | 22% | 75% | 75% | $7,665 |
| Construction Trades HVAC Technician ATS | 44% | 100% | 86% | $24,493 |
| MLT Clinical Laboratory Assisting Certificate | 71% | 80% | 80% | $8,911 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA participant outcomes (trainingproviderresults.gov), PY 2023.
College-Wide Statistics · IPEDS Federal Survey
What Are the Student Outcomes at Columbus State Community College?
Unlike the program-level results above, the figures below cover all students at Columbus State Community College, tracked over eight years by the federal IPEDS survey.
Overall Completion Rate
29.6%
Working Student Success
32.2%
Transfer Out Rate
31.2%
Still Enrolled Rate
1.1%
How Columbus State Community College Compares
Columbus State Community College's 30% completion rate is right in the typical band for trade and vocational schools — most peer institutions land somewhere in the 30–50% range. Another 31% transfer out and 1% remain enrolled; these together usually account for the bulk of the cohort, with only a smaller share leaving without a clear next step.
What Happens After Students Enroll at Columbus State Community College?
Eight-Year Student Outcomes
Eight-year outcomes for students who entered Columbus State Community College. This shows what happened to students in their cohort by the end of the tracking period.
Understanding These Outcomes
Completed: Students who earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from this institution.
Still Enrolled: Students who remain enrolled at this institution after the tracking period.
Transferred Out: Students who transferred to another institution and may have completed there.
No Award: Students who left without earning a credential and are not enrolled elsewhere.
Combined completion and transfer rate of 45.8% indicates strong student success pathways.
These outcomes track what happened to students eight years after they first enrolled. Completion rates include certificates, diplomas, and degrees earned at this institution. Transfer rates show students who continued their education at other colleges. Understanding these pathways helps prospective students set realistic expectations and plan their educational journey.
What Are the Transfer and Continuation Patterns at Columbus State Community College?
Success Rates by Student Entry Pathway
Comparing completion rates across different student entry pathways helps understand which groups succeed and how transfer experience impacts outcomes.
Key Insights
First-time and transfer students achieve similar completion rates, indicating equitable support regardless of entry pathway.
Combined 31.0% transfer-out rate suggests this institution may serve as a stepping stone for students continuing their education elsewhere.
Cohort Composition
Understanding Student Pathways
First-Time Students: Beginning postsecondary education for the first time at this institution.
Transfer-In Students: Previously attended another postsecondary institution before enrolling here.
Continuing Students: Returned to this institution after a break in enrollment.
Completion rates tracked over 8 years from initial entry.
Different student entry pathways lead to varying success rates. First-time students enter directly from high school or are starting college for the first time. Transfer students bring prior college experience and credits. Understanding these patterns helps you identify which pathway aligns best with your situation and predict your likelihood of success.
What Are the Completion Rates by Student Type at Columbus State Community College?
What does this mean for you? These completion rates show how different types of students succeed at this institution. Notably, part-time students have a higher success rate here (32.2% vs 27% for full-time), which is great news if you plan to work while studying. This pattern is common at trade colleges where programs are designed to accommodate working adults. First-time students are those new to college, while transfer students have attended another institution before.
What Are the Cohort Outcomes Over Time at Columbus State Community College?
Tracking outcomes for the 2015-16 cohort of 8,440 students
After 4 Years
After 6 Years
After 8 Years (Final)
Final Student Status
Completion Breakdown by Cohort
Part-time First-time Transfer Students
Part-time First-time Students
All First-time Transfer Students
Full-time First-time Transfer Students
All First-time Students
All Part-time Students
Full-time First-time Students
Part-time Non-first-time Students
Time to Completion
About This Data
Outcome measures data tracks student cohorts over 4, 6, and 8-year periods. Data is sourced from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and reflects the most recent available reporting year.