Chattanooga State Community College vs Columbia State Community College: Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs in the TCCAA. Columbia State Community College graduates 9 points more of its students; Columbia State Community College graduates earn $2,658 more a decade out.

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Chattanooga State Community College if…

  • You would be in-state: Chattanooga State Community College is $354 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Columbia State Community College.

Lean Columbia State Community College if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: Columbia State Community College graduates 9 percentage points more of its students than Chattanooga State Community College.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: Columbia State Community College graduates earn about $2,658 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Columbia State Community College is $1,919 lower than at Chattanooga State Community College.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Chattanooga State Community College compared with Columbia State Community College
MeasureChattanooga State Community CollegeColumbia State Community College
In-state tuition & fees$4,550 Chattanooga State Community College leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition$4,904
Out-of-state tuition & fees$17,750$18,104

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Chattanooga State Community College compared with Columbia State Community College
MeasureChattanooga State Community CollegeColumbia State Community College
Graduation rate22%31% Columbia State Community College leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$37,598/yr$40,256/yr Columbia State Community College leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out
Median debt at graduation$10,419$8,500 Columbia State Community College leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.28%21% Columbia State Community College leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Chattanooga State Community College compared with Columbia State Community College
MeasureChattanooga State Community CollegeColumbia State Community College
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.6,6015,115
Where it isChattanooga, TNColumbia, TN

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Chattanooga State Community College compared with Columbia State Community College
MeasureChattanooga State Community CollegeColumbia State Community College
Head coachBlythe GoldenSamantha King

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Chattanooga State Community College compared with Columbia State Community College
MeasureChattanooga State Community CollegeColumbia State Community College
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
Program on X / InstagramYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Chattanooga State Community College

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Columbia State Community College

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Chattanooga State Community College vs Columbia State Community College: common questions

Which school graduates more of its students, Chattanooga State Community College or Columbia State Community College?
Columbia State Community College, at 31% against 22% at Chattanooga State Community College (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Chattanooga State Community College and Columbia State Community College offer softball scholarships?
Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
How do I contact the coaches at Chattanooga State Community College and Columbia State Community College?
Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Chattanooga State Community College and Columbia State Community College accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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