Best Economics Schools Near Columbus, GA (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Georgia has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $6,088 to $34,922 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 204,383. Median household income is $56,622 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Georgia, the top-earning economics-related role is Economist at a median $122,570 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Columbus, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbus 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 Columbus. 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

University of West Georgia

Carrollton, GA 74.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
51.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 52%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,587
Avg net price $12,786/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,088
Out‑of‑state$17,800
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 64

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

#2

Mercer University

Macon, GA 74.7 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,354
Avg net price $23,847/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Morehouse College

Atlanta, GA 89.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,889
Avg net price $39,013/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Spelman College

Atlanta, GA 89.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,993
Avg net price $38,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Clark Atlanta University

Atlanta, GA 89.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,712
Avg net price $37,702/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 90.4 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA 91.6 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
95.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,772
Avg net price $12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Agnes Scott College

Decatur, GA 93.3 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,274
Avg net price $24,754/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Georgia schools on the Georgia economics page.

Economics Wages Near Columbus

Columbus is part of the Columbus, GA-AL metro area (BLS area code 17980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Georgia statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Economist$122,570GA statewide$137,256
Financial and Investment Analyst$86,930Columbus, GA-AL$97,346
Statistician$115,150GA statewide$128,947
Management Analyst$83,390Columbus, GA-AL$93,382

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.

Columbus at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population204,383Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,622Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited economics schools are near Columbus, GA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs near Columbus. The closest is Auburn University in Auburn, AL (36.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Troy University (80.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying economics roles near Columbus?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Columbus are: Economist ($122,570), Statistician ($115,150), Financial and Investment Analyst ($86,930). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Georgia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Phenix City instead of Columbus?

Phenix City, AL is 9.3 miles from Columbus and has its own set of local economics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbus an affordable place to study economics?

Columbus’s median household income of $56,622 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Economics Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.

Back to Best Economics Schools in Georgia: Online Programs (2026)