2025 Compare Cities Education:
Marion, IA vs Columbia, SC

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Highlights
- Columbia spends 6.8% more per student than Marion.
- The Student Teacher Ratio is 4.5% higher in Columbia than in Marion. (lower means fewer students in each classroom).
- Columbia had 6.5% fewer residents who had graduated High School compared to Marion
 Marion, IAColumbia, SCUnited States
 Expend. per Student  Unlock$17,157$15,905
 Educ. Expend. per Student$11,730  Unlock$13,142
 Instr. Expend. per Student  Unlock$9,360$7,999
 Pupil/Teacher Ratio14.7  Unlock16.23
 Students per Librarian  Unlock5744573
 Students per Counselor365  Unlock530
 Grade School Educ.  Unlock2.2%4.8%
 Some High School Educ.2.4%  Unlock6.3%
 High School Educ.  Unlock90.5%88.9%
 Some College Educ.20.4%  Unlock20.0%
 2 yr College Grad.  Unlock7.7%8.7%
 4 yr College Grad.36.7%  Unlock33.7%
 Masters Grad.  Unlock11.7%9.3%
 Professional Degree1.3%  Unlock2.2%
 Doctorate Degree  Unlock3.3%1.5%
Reviews for Marion    3 Reviews

I've lived in Marion for ~22 years now, and it has its pros (+) and cons (-): + Marion is one of the safest places to live in the country. + The cost of living vs  More

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Over 15 years ago

Marion is clean, affordable and has one of the lowest crime rates in the state. The people here are friendly and helpful. Marion shares a border with Cedar Rapids  More

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Marion is one of the fastest growing communities in Iowa. We have a highly educated workforce, affordable housing, low crime and excellent education. Plus, there is much  More

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Reviews for Columbia    50 Reviews

Over 2 years ago

I love living in Columbia! I recently graduated from USC and plan to stay. I read the reviews posted here and it shows that like many cities, your experience will depend  More

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Loved living in Columbia, SC prior to my job transfer. It's the perfect size - plenty to do, but still a laid back place. People are extremely friendly, there are  More

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Columbia is such a unique and underrated place. It has a lot of character and history, and good nature trails. Everything feels accessible (by car) and you can get from  More

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