Best Online Education Programs in Columbia, TN (2026)

Columbia, Tennessee has 2 accredited schools offering education 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 education-related role is Education Administrator, Postsecondary at a median $100,850 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Education Schools to Columbia

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer education 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.

#1

Columbia State Community College

Columbia, TN 3.9 miles from Columbia BOC Score 44.7
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,256
Avg net price $4,734/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,296
Out‑of‑state$18,112
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 13

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

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


Education 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Secondary School Teacher$64,710Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$67,196
Elementary School Teacher$61,460Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$63,821
Middle School Teacher$61,090Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$63,437
Education Teacher, Postsecondary$74,150Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$76,999
Education Administrator, K-12$100,410Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$104,268
Education Administrator, Postsecondary$100,850Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$104,725
Tutor$62,950Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$65,369
Educational and Career Counselor$60,550Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$62,876

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

MetricValueSource
Population43,971Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,204Census 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
Education-related employment in Maury County575 workers, 46 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbia-Area Cities With Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near Columbia, TN?

Accredited schools offering education programs near Columbia are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying education roles near Columbia?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Columbia are: Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($100,850), Education Administrator, K-12 ($100,410), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($74,150). 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 education 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 education?

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 Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbia

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.