Cost of Attendance
The Financial Aid Office gives an estimated budget to each student receiving federal and/or state assistance called the Cost of Attendance or COA.
The COA covers the total amount it MIGHT cost you to go to Columbia State and is usually stated as a yearly figure. This is different from the actual tuition/fee amounts you may see in your ChargerNet on your Student Tab as charges due to the Business Office each semester. Many aid programs will not allow the Financial Aid Office to exceed your COA budget in awarding aid.
The Financial Aid Cost of Attendance budget includes elements mandated by the United States Department of Education. The items are estimates for tuition and fees, allowance for housing and food, books, supplies, transportation, personal expenses, and miscellaneous charges like loan origination fees if you are a Direct Loan borrower. If you are a student attending less than full-time, your budget will be adjusted following these federal guidelines.
Below is an example of our typical 2024-2025 Tennessee resident. Other budgets exist for out-of-state residents. If you have questions about your budget, please contact the Columbia State Financial Aid Office. Please remember these are estimates and are not what you will actually pay to attend college!
| Type of Cost | With Parent | Not With Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Books and Supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Living Expenses - Housing | $1,750 | $7,000 |
| Living Expenses - Food | $4,500 | $7,200 |
| Transportation | $5,600 | $5,600 |
| Personal | $1,390 | $1,390 |
| Tuition and Fees | $4,948 | $4,948 |
| Average Loan Origination Fee | (only added to COA if Direct Loan Borrower) | |
| Total | $19,388 | $27,338 |