Columbia College Chicago

www.colum.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$30,734

5% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$29,790

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

91.2%

7,873 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

6,529

94.1% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

48.5%

694 Graduates

About

Columbia College Chicago is a higher education institution located in Cook County, IL. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Columbia College Chicago were Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (212 degrees awarded), Cinematography & Film Production (116 degrees), and Graphic Design (70 degrees).

In 2023, 1,395 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Columbia College Chicago. 62.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 37.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (733 degrees), 2.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (271 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $30,734, which is $6,159 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Columbia College Chicago was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 2,030 total borrowers.

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $30,734, which is $6,159 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $29,790.

In 2023, 94% of undergraduate students attending Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 57% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$30,734

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago was $30,734. The cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $6,159 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Columbia College Chicago (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$29,790

2023 Value

4.94%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Columbia College Chicago had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $29,790. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Columbia College Chicago grew by 4.94%.

This chart compares the average net price of Columbia College Chicago (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$18,000

Room and Board

$1,700

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Columbia College Chicago was of $18,000 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 9.38% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,700. The cost of books and supplies increased by 6.25% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Columbia College Chicago (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

94%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

57%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

94% of undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 1.08% with respect to 2022, when 93% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Columbia College Chicago (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Columbia College Chicago was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 2030 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Columbia College Chicago received 7,873 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 2.23% annual growth. Out of those 7,873 applicants, 7,178 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 91.2% acceptance rate.

There were 6,529 students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in 2023.

Columbia College Chicago has an overall enrollment yield of 22.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

91.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

7,178

Accepted Out of 7,873

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago was 91.2% (7,178 admissions from 7,873 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 94.8%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 2.23%, while admissions declined by 1.64%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

N/A% of enrolled first-time students at Columbia College Chicago in false submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Columbia College Chicago had a total enrollment of 6,529 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,146 students and the part-time enrollment is 383. This means that 94.1% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 40.6% White, 28.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Black or African American, 4.43% Two or More Races, 3.46% Asian, 0.168% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0613% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (16.8%) and White Male (16.7%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (21.3%), followed by White Male (15.8%) and Black or African American Female (10.6%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

94.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Columbia College Chicago in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,529 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,146 and the part-time enrollment is 383. This means that 94.1% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time compared with 68.2% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Columbia College Chicago (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

64%

2023 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. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Columbia College Chicago was 64%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (74%), Columbia College Chicago had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Columbia College Chicago (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,652 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,839 enrolled students
Black or African American
1,147 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago is 40.6% White, 28.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Black or African American, 4.43% Two or More Races, 3.46% Asian, 0.168% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0613% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 50.1% White, 17.7% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.4% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 58 students (0.888%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 345 more women than men received degrees from Columbia College Chicago. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Columbia College Chicago is white (733 degrees awarded). There were 2.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (271 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago is Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (212 degrees awarded), followed by Cinematography & Film Production (116 degrees) and Graphic Design (70 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Columbia College Chicago, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Communication Technologies (236 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (823 degrees), and English (79 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Other managers (280,316 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (252,618 people), Postsecondary teachers (179,986 people), Secondary school teachers (171,694 people), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (151,661 people).

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago in 2023 are Communication Technologies (236 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (823 degrees), English (79 degrees), Communications (121 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (19 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, and Nurse anesthetists

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Communication Technologies (236 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (823 degrees), English (79 degrees), Communications (121 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (19 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Elementary & secondary schools (513,720 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (426,070 people), Computer Systems Design (195,233 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (166,459 people), and Legal services (109,922 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Columbia College Chicago.

Most Common (2023)

Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects
212 degrees awarded
Cinematography & Film Production
116 degrees awarded
Graphic Design
70 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago was Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects with 212 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Columbia College Chicago according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

525

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

870

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 525 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago, which is 0.603 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (870).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Columbia College Chicago by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 94 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects, which is 0.797 times less than the 118 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 118 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects, which is 1.26 times more than the 94 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

44%

100% Completion Time

51%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 44% of students graduating from Columbia College Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 51% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 52% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (66.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Columbia College Chicago is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (66.7% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 5.76% of graduates (40 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
733 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
271 degrees awarded
Black or African American
166 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Columbia College Chicago is white (733 degrees awarded). There were 2.7 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (271 degrees).

1.72% of degree recipients (24 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
453 degrees awarded
White Male
280 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
175 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Columbia College Chicago is white female (453 degrees awarded). There were 1.62 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (280 degrees).

Operations

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at nearly $202M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 20.5M (10.2%) compared to the 5.72% average return (2.84M on 49.7M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2023, Columbia College Chicago had a total salary expenditure of 188M. Columbia College Chicago employs 107 Associate professors, 53 Lecturers and 43 Professors. Most academics at Columbia College Chicago are Male Associate professor (63), Female Associate professor (44), and Male Lecturer (33).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 134 employees, Management, with 118 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 62 employees.

Endowment

$202M

2023 Endowment

5.09%

growth from 2022

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at about $202M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Columbia College Chicago grew 5.09% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $152M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Columbia College Chicago (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$5.85M - Federal
$1.6M - State
$30k - Local

As of 2023, Columbia College Chicago received $5.85M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.6M from state grants and contracts, and $30k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$76.7M

2023 Salaries

0.465%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Columbia College Chicago paid a median of $76.7M in salaries, which represents 40.7% of their overall expenditure ($188M) and a 0.465% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.07% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 6.29% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 36.1M (39.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$19.4M

Instructional Salaries

230

Number of Employees

In 2023, Columbia College Chicago paid a total of $19.4M to 230 employees working as instructors, which represents 25.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $1.12M (2.97%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

107 Employees

Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

134 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Associate professor with 107 employees, Lecturer with 53 employees, and Professor with 43 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 134 employees, Management with 118 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 62 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor
Male Lecturer

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago was Male Associate professor with 63 employees, Female Associate professor with 44 employees, and Male Lecturer with 33 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Columbia College Chicago.

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