Best Computer Science Schools Near Columbia, TN (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbia, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs. Columbia has a population of about 43,971. Median household income is $61,204 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $165,970 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Computer Science Schools to Columbia

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Columbia, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbia city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbia. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

The University of Tennessee Southern

Pulaski, TN 29.1 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,924
Avg net price $12,798/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 36.2 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 38.2 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 38.7 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,565
Avg net price $15,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 157

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN 39.5 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,378
Avg net price $16,813/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN 39.5 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
34.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,730
Avg net price $15,796/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Fisk University

Nashville, TN 40.0 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
21.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,454
Avg net price $32,020/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 41.6 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee computer science page.

Computer Science Wages Near Columbia

Columbia is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN metro area (BLS area code 34980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer $126,610 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $131,475
Computer Systems Analyst $99,270 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $103,084
Computer Network Architect $129,370 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $134,341
Database Administrator $123,920 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $128,681
Database Architect $121,730 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $126,407
Information Security Analyst $115,430 TN statewide $119,865
Computer Network Support Specialist $76,980 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $79,938
Computer User Support Specialist $58,960 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $61,225
Web Developer $78,990 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $82,025
Web and Digital Interface Designer $63,510 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $65,950
Computer and Information Systems Manager $165,970 Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN $172,347

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Columbia at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 43,971 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,204 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Maury County 362 workers, 78 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbia-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Columbia, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Columbia. The closest is The University of Tennessee Southern in Pulaski, TN (29.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Shelbyville (36.5 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Columbia?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Columbia are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($165,970), Computer Network Architect ($129,370), Software Developer ($126,610). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Spring Hill instead of Columbia?

Spring Hill, TN is 11.3 miles from Columbia and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbia an affordable place to study computer science?

Columbia’s median household income of $61,204 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbia while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbia

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbia:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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