Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL 60605-1996
About Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, serving roughly 5,368 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 89.46% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $42,195 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Columbia College Chicago charges 16% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($34,088).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 2.6×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 51.55%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $42,195.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Columbia College Chicago is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 297% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia College Chicago | $34,088 | $26,598 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Illinois (state median) | $13,248 | $7,399 | 131 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 22% below published tuition at Columbia College Chicago
Key findings
- Columbia College Chicago's average net price ($26,598) is 22% below published tuition ($34,088).
- Columbia College Chicago charges 16% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($34,088).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 2.6×.
Columbia College Chicago tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $34,088
Finding Columbia College Chicago charges 16% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $34,088. That is 16% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Illinois median ($13,248), sticker tuition is about 2.6×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.9×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Columbia College Chicago versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Columbia College Chicago versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Columbia College Chicago is $26,598.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $26,598 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $19,199 above the Illinois median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $6,545 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Columbia College Chicago’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 22% lower after grants and scholarships.
Columbia College Chicago: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Columbia College Chicago—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$34,088
Avg. net price
$26,598
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $20,924 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $21,423 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $25,590 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $31,677 |
| $110,001+ | $36,436 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $136,352. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Columbia College Chicago is known for
Top program completions
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production237
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects111
- Fashion/Apparel Design94
- Graphic Design71
- Acting71
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 22% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Columbia College Chicago a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Columbia College Chicago is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Columbia College Chicago.
Campus
Location
Chicago, IL
City / state
- ZIP
- 60605-1996
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 33% above the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs
Size
Enrollment
5,368
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 5,671
- Graduate
- 148
- Full-time share
- 96%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 45.96%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Columbia College Chicago.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Columbia College Chicago was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Columbia College Chicago in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $22,792 | $22,792 | $29,162 |
| 2014 | $23,544 | $23,544 | $28,416 |
| 2015 | $24,344 | $24,344 | $29,589 |
| 2016 | $25,334 | $25,334 | $29,828 |
| 2017 | $26,474 | $26,474 | $31,597 |
| 2018 | $27,176 | $27,176 | $30,924 |
| 2019 | $27,756 | $27,756 | $31,099 |
| 2020 | $27,786 | $27,786 | $26,258 |
| 2021 | $27,786 | $27,786 | $24,611 |
| 2022 | $31,026 | $31,026 | $25,328 |
| 2023 | $32,520 | $32,520 | $26,788 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Columbia College Chicago reported total enrollment of about 5,368 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 40% male and 60% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (39.5%), Hispanic or Latino (28.2%), and Black or African American (18.7%). About 45.96% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 24.9% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
95.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Columbia College Chicago in 2024 is 5,368 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 5,671 students. Graduate enrollment is about 148 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
66.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
41.89% 100% Completion Time
51.55% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 41.89% of students graduating from Columbia College Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production: 51% male / 49% female
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects: 42% male / 58% female
- Fashion/Apparel Design: 13% male / 87% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Columbia College Chicago graduates earn a median of $42,195 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Columbia College Chicago.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $42,195. Median federal loan debt: $25,000. Average net price used in cost models: $26,598.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Columbia College Chicago graduates report median earnings of $42,195 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Columbia College Chicago.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (49 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Columbia College Chicago.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Columbia College Chicago graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Columbia College Chicago—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$201.8M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Illinois median 7.1× the median ($28.5M)
- Great Lakes median 6.4× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 7.6× the median ($26.4M)
- Illinois median 2.2× the median ($15,173)
- Great Lakes median 2.0× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 2.7× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 37.4%
- Illinois median 13.4 pp below median (50.8%)
- Great Lakes median 20.7 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 20.6 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,323
- Illinois median 1.1× the median ($8,563)
- Great Lakes median 1.2× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,551
- Illinois median 1.4× the median ($7,575)
- Great Lakes median 1.4× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Columbia College Chicago at a glance
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is a private non-profit institution in Chicago, IL, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Cinematography and Film/Video ProductionAnimation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special EffectsFashion/Apparel Design
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian39.5%Hispanic or Latino28.2%Black or African American18.7%
Schools near Columbia College Chicago
Other campuses in Chicago, IL when available, plus nearby institutions in Illinois.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Illinois, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Columbia College Chicago located?
Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, IL.
What is Columbia College Chicago's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Columbia College Chicago is 89.5% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 7,873 applicants and 7,178 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Columbia College Chicago's tuition?
Columbia College Chicago tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $34,088 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $26,598 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Columbia College Chicago cost?
Reported tuition is $34,088 and average net price is $26,598 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $20,629 annually.
Why is Columbia College Chicago's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Columbia College Chicago, published tuition is $34,088 while average net price is $26,598—about 22% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Columbia College Chicago's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($26,598), completion (51.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($42,195). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Columbia College Chicago?
Columbia College Chicago reports undergraduate enrollment of about 5,671 students, White (39.5%), Hispanic or Latino (28.2%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Columbia College Chicago?
About 24.9% of students at Columbia College Chicago are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn?
Median earnings are $32,596 six years after entry and $42,195 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia College Chicago?
The 150%-time completion rate is 51.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Columbia College Chicago students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,000.
Is Columbia College Chicago public or private?
Columbia College Chicago is a private nonprofit institution located in Chicago, IL.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.