Students, faculty, and staff at Columbus Technical College already know their school is tops but thanks to several recent data-driven recognitions, that positivity will be even more widespread. That’s because major college review organizations have positioned Columbus Technical College in their top rankings.

In it’s latest online and print magazine publication, The Knowledge Review named Columbus Technical College’s registered nursing program as one of it’s Top 10 Most Preferred for 2017, saying “it provides advanced learning methodology for preparing skilled nursing professionals.” Criteria for making this coveted list include:  “a robust industry-oriented curriculum, knowledgeable and experienced faculty, advanced simulation-based training, and excellent placement services.”

Program director Lori Striblin says a main philosophy of Columbus Technical College’s registered nursing program is making sure students successfully complete the rigorous curriculum. The year of this study, the program had a 95 percent retention rate to graduation; this is accomplished primarily through faculty mentorship. Striblin added, “The Associate Degree Nursing program also has a four year NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) passing average of 95.85 percent and our graduates are consistently recruited for employment by local health care providers. In fact, the successful employment of our graduates is 100 percent for 2017 and a quarter of our graduates are continuing their education toward a bachelor degree in nursing.”  

The Associate Degree Nursing program offers students the shortest route to becoming a Registered Nurse. After general and medical core classes, it takes only three semesters (one calendar year) to graduation. This paves the way for the students to focus their energy on succeeding both professionally and financially. The average starting salary for a registered nurse in Georgia is around $60,000 per year (source: nursesalaryguide.net).

The pharmacy technology program at Columbus Technical College is also getting special recognition. It has been ranked #20 in the list of Top 50 Pharmacy Technician Programs by The Best Colleges®. The organization reviewed “all accredited pharmacy technician programs in the United States that provide students with the best learning experience.” A pharmacy technician holding an associate degree can earn around $38,000 per year in Georgia (source: salary.com).

Affordable College’s latest 2-Year Best College Ranking lists Columbus Technical College as the #12 school for online learning in Georgia. To generate their 2018 rankings, Affordable College® compared over 1,500 not-for-profit colleges with full online programs and annual tuition rates below $25,000. Then more than one dozen factors were analyzed including student-teacher ratio, job placement of graduates, and the availability of career and counseling services.

Tuition at Columbus Technical College (and any school in the Technical College System of Georgia) is extremely affordable – costing only $89 per credit hour. A year’s tuition for a full load of classes (12 hours per semester) will run just over $2,100. Besides the affordable price, Columbus Technical College is also a phenomenal investment in one’s future with its graduates boasting a 99.1 percent job placement rate.