Columbia Southern University vs Keiser University

Columbia Southern University and Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale stand out as two distinct institutions of higher learning, each catering to unique student populations and academic aspirations. While both universities offer a diverse range of programs and opportunities, they differ in several key aspects. Columbia Southern University boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students with varying academic backgrounds. Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale, on the other hand, has a more selective admissions process, resulting in a smaller and more competitive student body. Additionally, the two universities vary in their popular majors, with Columbia Southern University excelling in business and healthcare programs, while Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale is renowned for its criminal justice and nursing programs. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into these differences and discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and preferences.
Columbia Southern University logo

Columbia Southern University

Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale logo

Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale

Overview

Location Orange Beach, Alabama Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Campus setting Town: Fringe City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (For Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Non Traditional Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 40.0% 72.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission 96.1%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $55

Graduate: $55
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 4,120
Total number of admissions given out 3,958
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,129
Yield rate 53.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required N/A
High school GPA N/A Not required
Recommendation letters N/A Not required
High school transcript N/A Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $19,177 $46,812
Average net price $12,474 $31,984
Tuition $5,640 $20,800
Room & board $14,368
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

56.0%
Average amount $3,123
97.0%
Average amount $11,968
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $5,701
79.0%
Average amount $11,612
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $0
21.0%
Average amount $9,415

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 11,672
Men 65.2% Women 34.8%
17,990
Men 27.2% Women 72.8%
Graduate students 4,740
Men 53.9% Women 46.1%
1,871
Men 31.9% Women 68.1%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 0.0% 2.5%
Campus local/setting Town: Fringe City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity N/A 590
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Health Professions
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Psychology
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 31:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 33.4% 67.1%
Dropout rate 57.6% 31.8%
Transferred out 2.2% 0.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,983
  • Year 2: $68,880
  • Year 3: $78,451
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,300
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $75,520
Homeland Security (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,707
  • Year 2: $71,473
  • Year 3: $73,060
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,385
  • Year 2: $67,304
  • Year 3: $72,485
Fire Protection (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,128
  • Year 2: $69,691
  • Year 3: $71,770
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,839
  • Year 2: $69,785
  • Year 3: $67,888
Fire Protection (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,269
  • Year 2: $61,922
  • Year 3: $65,587
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,097
  • Year 2: $58,092
  • Year 3: $62,377
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,105
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $59,697
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,526
  • Year 2: $58,990
  • Year 3: $59,493
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,785
  • Year 2: $104,878
  • Year 3: $106,919
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,848
  • Year 2: $76,356
  • Year 3: $79,414
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,512
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $71,050
Fire Protection (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,031
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $65,682
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,975
  • Year 2: $65,725
  • Year 3: $63,029
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,116
  • Year 2: $58,866
  • Year 3: $62,178
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $56,302
  • Year 3: $60,114
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,683
  • Year 3: $58,461
Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $55,658
  • Year 3: $57,689
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $55,338
  • Year 3: $52,156

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