Columbia State Community College has set a Strategic Goal to increase the number of citizens with diplomas, certificates, and degrees in our nine-county service area in the 2015-2025 Strategic Plan.

One measure of student achievement is the general education exit exam taken by all Columbia State Community College graduates. Columbia State uses the ETS Proficiency Profile (Abbreviated) Exam for general education testing. The standard set by the General Education Committee is to meet or exceed the mean score by comparable level of students at 2 year institutions.

Graduate Exit Exam

Graduate Exit Exam by year
Area Mean 2014.15 2015.16 2016.17 2017.18 2018.19 2019.2020 2020.2021
Reading Proficiency 116.8 118.51 118.51 118.63 117.19 119.09 118.17 116.21
Writing Proficiency 113.2 114.57 114.4 114.58 114.42 115.00 114.03 113.64
Critical Thinking Proficiency

110.6

 111.84 111.88 111.51 110.84 112.28 110.99 110.23
Mathematics Proficiency 112.0 112.6 112.88 112.85 112.31 113.44 112.22 111.81
Humanities 113.6 114.61 114.53 114.73 113.72 115.68 114.70 114.37
Social Sciences 112.4 113.67 113.6 113.47 112.93 113.83 112.95 112.76
Natural Sciences 114.4 115.88 115.71 115.65 115.23 115.94 114.98 113.86
Total 440.1 444.56 444.33 444.5 442.25 446.80 442.42 438.55


Job Placement*
Columbia State reports job placement rates for all AAS completers annually (by calendar year)

Job placement rates for AAS
Associate of Applied Science 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Engineering Systems Technology 100% 80% 80% 0% 100% 78% 86%
Information Systems Technology 37% 59% 29% 17% 78% 64% 77%
Business 32% 90% 67% 20% 15% 44% 100%
General Technology 71% 100% 50% 33% 100% 0% 0%
Criminal Justice 20% 83% 67% 0% 50% 0% 0%
Health Sciences 100% 100% 100% N/A N/A N/A
Medical Informatics N/A 60% 100% 67% 0% 50% 60%
Medical Lab Technology N/A N/A N/A N/A 100% 92% 94%
Veterinary Technology 100% 95% 91% 77% 53% 60% 100%
Radiologic Technology 100% 95% 100% 100% 100% 86% 100%
Respiratory Care 92% 100% 94% 100% 94% 100% 100%
Nursing 99% 97% 99% 100% 100% 93% 24%
Antesthesia Technology N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 67% 29%
Job placement rates for Technical Certificates
Technical Certificates 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Engineering Systems Technology N/A 100% 0% 0% 100% 50% 100%
Film Crew Technology 100% 100% 67% 35% 83% 100% 100%
Emergency Medical Technician 73% 56% 82% 79% 93% 69% 100%
Job placement rates for all AAS
Associate of Applied Science 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician 43% 88% 97% 98% 100% 93% N/A
Accelerated Advanced Emergency Medical Technician N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 75% 91%
Early Childhood Education 100% 100% 0% 100% N/A N/A N/A
Hospitality and Tourism Management N/A N/A N/A 67% 67% 30% 100%
Commercial Entertainment 83% 100% 100% 73% 80% 50% N/A
Paramedic 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Business Management 0% 100% 100% 0% 0% N/A 100%
Web Design and Mobile Technologies N/A N/A N/A 0% N/A 0% N/A
Web Technology (TNeCampus) N/A N/A N/A 100% N/A N/A N/A

*Placement percentages are based on definitions set by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) Sited Source: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/thec/bureau/aa/academic-programs/qaf/PF_2010-15_Guidebook_Mar_17_2011.pdf (page 22). Overall placement rate is based on the total number of placeable students employed with their respective fields of students.

**Beginning with the 2015-2016 fiscal year, THEC measure placement based on the number of graduates in the Tennessee Labor Department System/Total Graduates. Of the 2014-2015 Academic Year graduates 98% were employed in Tennessee during the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

Licensure Rates
Columbia State Community College reports licensure rates of all Allied Health AAS graduates annually.

Licensure pass rates by year
Licensure Pass Rates Goal 2014.15 2015.16 2016.17 2017.18 2018.19 2019.20 2020.21
Anesthesia Technology* 69% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 33% 65%
Medical Laboratory Technology** 77% N/A N/A N/A 100% 100% 92% 75%
Nursing 93% 92% 92% 87% 91% 97% 100% 99%
Veterinary Technology 80% 67% 90% 59% 52% 72% 88% 86%
Radiologic Technology 96% 95% 95% 95% 94% 100% 88% 93%
Respiratory Care 70% 89% 90% 100% 100% 76% 91% 93%

*Program did not restart and until 2018, and the first graduates were in 2019.2020.
**Program did not restart and until 2016, and the first graduates were in 2017.2018.


Degrees Earned
Columbia State Community College seeks to increase the number of graduates and certificate completers annually as part of TBR and Governor Haslam's Drive to 55 initiative.

Degrees earned by year
Degree Type 2015.16 2016.17 2017.18 2018.19 2019.20 2020.21
AA/AS/AST/AFA 445 451 550 551 646 663
AAS 217 211 226 225 215 249
Total Degrees Earned 662 662 951 776 861 912
Technical Certificates 190 184 175 172 150 129


Athletic Completion Rates:
Columbia State Community College athletics seeks to graduate quality student-athletes.

Athletic completion rates by sport and by year
Sport 2015.16 2016.17 2017.18 2018.19 2019.20 2020.21
Softball 89% 100% 100% 38% 50% 75%
Baseball 70% 70% 74% 70% 75% 100%
Women's Basketball 100% 80% 80% N/A 40% 25%
Men's Basketball 50% 75% 71% 0% 67% 29%
Women's Soccer N/A N/A N/A 43% 75% 91%


3-year Graduation Rates by Aid:
Columbia State Community College seeks to reduce the gap between students of varying income levels to 5% or less.

Graduation Rates by Financial Aid recipients vs. non-recipients
Aid Status 2013.14 2014.15 2015.16 2016.17 2017.18 2018.19
No PELL 24% 24% 26% 30% 29% 21%
PELL Recipient 15% 18% 16% 21% 19% 28%