Welcome to the Columbia State family!

Thank you for choosing Columbia State! Your student is beginning a new journey in their life, and we are excited to have the opportunity to watch them learn and grow. Columbia State is known for our excellence in education, as well as our caring faculty and staff. Your student's success is very important to us!

It's true, parents love Columbia State because our tuition is more affordable than four-year colleges and universities. Choosing Columbia State makes great financial sense. Plus, through the Tennessee Transfer Pathways, our courses are guaranteed to transfer to any other public Tennessee school and many private institutions as well. (In case you're wondering... we are an accredited institution, which means our courses transfer to colleges outside the state of Tennessee too.) In addition, we are able to offer smaller class sizes, so your student won't get lost in the crowd. Our professors know your student by name. We also have five convenient locations which helps your student stay close to home.

Understanding Ferpa

Something changed on your child's 18th birthday. They are now considered an adult and privacy laws (which protect all adults) now apply to your child. This means that even though you may be paying for college, you are not allowed to have access to any of your child's records. Learn more about the FERPA and how it affects you and your adult child.

Community
Columbia State plays an integral role in our communities through education; workforce and continuing education; and by offering entertainment, enrichment courses, cultural events and art exhibits on campus.
See what Columbia State offers
patrons in Pryor Art Gallery
Tennessee Transfer Pathways
When your son or daughter takes a class at Columbia State, their credits will transfer seamlessly with them when they graduate if they decide to continue their studies at a Tennessee four-year university and many private colleges and universities, too!
Learn more about Tennessee Transfer Pathway
graduate walking toward college building

Which degrees does Columbia State Offer?

Columbia State is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award Associate of Art, Associate of Science, Associate of Science in Teaching, Associate of Fine Arts in Music, and Associate of Applied Science degrees, as well as many technical certificates. To learn more, click Academics.

We also partner with four-year colleges and universities to provide baccalaureate and Master's degree opportunities at our campuses, so that many of our students are able to continue their education while staying close to home.