Columbia College

What Columbia College does

Columbia College is a private, nonprofit higher education institution founded in 1851 in Columbia, Missouri. It delivers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across a multi-modal platform comprising a residential main campus, 15+ satellite classroom locations (a majority sited on U.S. military installations such as Fort Leonard Wood, Redstone Arsenal, NAS Jacksonville, and Fort Sill), and a 100% online campus built on a Learning Management System branded CourseSites, with eight-week course sessions across six academic start dates. The catalog includes 95+ associate, bachelor, master, and certificate programs, with 70+ available fully online; product launches in July 2023 added 20+ new programs and an MS in Cybersecurity is announced for Fall 2026.

The institution serves five primary student segments — Traditional Undergraduates, Adult and Continuing Education learners, Military Students (active duty, veterans, spouses, and dependents), Online Students, and Graduate Students — with International Students as a secondary segment. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees plus on-campus room and board, supplemented by federal Title IV aid administration (FAFSA school code 002456), Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill processing, Department of Defense Military Tuition Assistance, and CIC/Tuition Exchange scholarship programs. Pricing is structured around flexible monthly payment plans plus pay-as-you-go federal aid disbursement.

Columbia College is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1918, NC-SARA authorized for cross-state online enrollment, and is a designated Purple Heart College ranked #4 Military Friendly for 2024-2025. It operates a wholly owned subsidiary, Columbia College Global, that consolidates nationwide and online program delivery. Governance is by a Board of Trustees with no parent company, venture, or private equity ownership.

Name

Columbia College

Legal name

Columbia College

Website

https://ccis.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1851

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Columbia College is a 175-year-old private nonprofit college in Columbia, MO, offering 95+ associate, bachelor, master, and certificate programs across a residential campus, 15+ nationwide military and community sites, and a 100% online platform serving traditional, adult, military, and graduate learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK), Private/Independent Community & Junior Colleges (EDAHADAB)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Online degree programs
• Military education
• Adult learning
• Undergraduate degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate degree programs across day, evening, online, and nationwide campuses. Tuition varies by program modality and residency status.
2. Room and Board: On-campus housing and dining services revenue from residential students on main Columbia, MO campus
3. Financial Aid Administration: Federal Title IV aid processing including Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans, and SEOG grants administered through the institution
4. Military Affiliated Benefits: Military tuition assistance, GI Bill benefits, and Department of Defense education program funding for active duty, veterans, and dependents

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Columbia College is a private, regionally accredited higher education institution that delivers more than 95 associate, bachelor, master, and certificate programs through a multi-channel platform combining a residential main campus in Columbia, MO, 15+ nationwide satellite locations (predominantly on U.S. military bases), and a 100% online campus offering 70+ degrees in eight-week accelerated sessions. Revenue is generated principally through tuition and fees paid by individual students, with on-campus room and board, federal financial aid administration, and military tuition assistance as additional streams.

Product overview

Columbia College is a private educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across multiple delivery formats. The institution operates a platform-plus-locations model featuring 95+ associate, bachelor, master, and certificate programs, with 70+ degrees available 100% online and 15+ physical campus locations nationwide. The core offerings include undergraduate degrees (Accounting, Business Administration, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Criminal Justice), graduate programs (MBA, MS in Accountancy, Business Analytics, Cybersecurity, Finance), professional certificates (Business Analytics, Project Management, UI/UX Design), and specialized certifications including Education Specialist and RN to BSN. Programs are delivered through Columbia College Global network and an online education platform featuring eight-week accelerated courses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ alumni contributing to communities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Higher Learning CommissioncoreOthersAccreditation body providing regional accreditation for Columbia College since 1918. The HLC accreditation ensures academic quality and enables student access to federal financial aid.
• Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Tuition ExchangeminorOthersCIC Tuition Exchange program allows full-time employee children to attend other member institutions with reduced or no tuition charges, expanding educational benefits for Columbia College staff.
• Tuition Exchange, Inc. (TE)minorOthersTuition Exchange Inc. membership provides additional opportunities for full-time employee dependents to access tuition-free education at member institutions nationwide.
• NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements)coreOthersNC-SARA membership enables Columbia College to offer online courses across state lines through streamlined regulatory compliance, expanding access to students in 50+ states and territories.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)coreOthersVA partnership enables processing of GI Bill benefits, enrollment certifications for on-campus or online classes, and compliance with Post-9/11 GI Bill and Military Tuition Assistance programs.
• Department of Defense (DoD)coreOthersDoD partnership allows processing of Military Tuition Assistance and other education benefit programs for service members, with oversight through the DoD Postsecondary Education Complaint System.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Park University: Park University is a private nonprofit institution founded in 1875, headquartered in Parkville, Missouri, with a network of campus centers on U.S. military installations and an online division. Both Columbia College and Park University share the private, military-friendly, multi-location "extended campus" model anchored on army and air force bases.
• Southern New Hampshire University: SNHU is a large private nonprofit university with a dominant online division serving adult and military learners across the U.S. Columbia College competes for the same online adult and military-affiliated student pool, with overlapping degree categories in business, IT, and cybersecurity.
• American Military University (American Public University System): AMU is an online university purpose-built for active-duty service members, veterans, and military-affiliated learners, with strong DoD relationships and tuition assistance processing. It directly competes with Columbia College for the same military-student segment using an online-only delivery model.
• Webster University: Webster University is a private nonprofit institution headquartered in St. Louis with multiple extended campuses on U.S. military bases and an online division. It overlaps Columbia College on the private, military-base, multi-location extended-campus model serving working adults.
• Troy University: Troy University is a public institution based in Alabama with a well-developed online program and a network of sites serving military installations, including graduate programs in business and education. Columbia College and Troy both serve adult, military, and online learners in overlapping program areas.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Embry-Riddle is a private university with significant online, worldwide, and military-affiliated enrollment, including aeronautical, engineering, and business programs. It competes for military and adult learners with Columbia College in technical and business degree programs.
• Central Texas College: Central Texas College is a public community college headquartered near Fort Cavazos with a heavy military and distance-learning enrollment, including Fort Leonard Wood. It overlaps Columbia College on associate degrees and military-base delivery at Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University: WGU is a large nonprofit online competency-based university serving adult learners nationwide with strong military and veteran enrollment. It is a broader incumbent competitor in the same online adult/military higher education space Columbia College addresses.
• Liberty University: Liberty University operates one of the largest private online higher education programs in the U.S., including large military and veteran enrollment, undergraduate and graduate programs, and an aggressive distance-learning footprint comparable to Columbia College's online campus.
• University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC): UMGC is a state-affiliated online university explicitly focused on working adults, service members, and veterans, with deep DoD relationships. It is a broader incumbent competitor for Columbia College's online and military-affiliated student segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColumbiaColg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ColumbiaCollege1851
• Facebookfacebook.com/72925733489
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbia-college-missouri
• Instagraminstagram.com/columbiacollege
• TikToktiktok.com/@columbiacollege_mo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia College