Columbia College Chicago

www.colum.edu

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$26,610

0% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$28,568

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

6.13%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

89.5%

8,061 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

6,769

93.1% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

50.1%

895 Graduates

About

Columbia College Chicago is a higher education institution located in Cook County, IL. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Columbia College Chicago were Cinematography & Film Production (266 degrees awarded), Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (82 degrees), and Graphic Design (67 degrees).

In 2020, 1,494 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Columbia College Chicago. 58.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 41.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (830 degrees), 4.03 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (206 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $26,610, which is $4,080 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($22,531).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $26,610, which is $4,080 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($22,531).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $28,568.

In 2020, 87% of undergraduate students attending Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 62% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$26,610

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago was $26,610. The cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $4,080 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($22,531).

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

Average Net Price

$28,568

2020 Value

11%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Columbia College Chicago had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $28,568. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Columbia College Chicago grew by 11%.

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

$16,000

Room and Board

$1,600

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Columbia College Chicago was of $16,000 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,600. The cost of room and board increased by 14.2% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

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

Financial Aid

Financial Aid by Income Level

87%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

62%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

87% of undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 13% with respect to 2019, when 77% 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.

6.13%

2018 Default Rate

154

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Columbia College Chicago was 6.13%, which represents 154 out of the 2511 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 8,061 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 8.49% annual growth. Out of those 8,061 applicants, 7,217 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 89.5% acceptance rate.

There were 6,769 students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in 2020, and N/A% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Columbia College Chicago has an overall enrollment yield of 25.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

89.5%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

7,217

Accepted Out of 8,061

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago was 89.5% (7,217 admissions from 8,061 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 90.2%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants grew by 8.49%, while admissions grew by 7.67%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

N/A%

Submission Percentage

N/A

Scores Submitted

N/A% of enrolled first-time students at Columbia College Chicago in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Columbia College Chicago has a total enrollment of 6,769 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,302 students and the part-time enrollment is 467. This means that 93.1% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 48.1% White, 22.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Black or African American, 4.54% Two or More Races, 3.68% Asian, 0.192% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.118% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.2%), followed by White Male (20%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (13.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.9%), followed by White Male (17.8%) and Black or African American Female (15.1%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

93.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,769 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,302 and the part-time enrollment is 467. This means that 93.1% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time compared with 68.8% 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

69%

2020 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 69%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (75%), 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

White
3,254
Hispanic or Latino
1,524
Black or African American
1,044

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago is 48.1% White, 22.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Black or African American, 4.54% Two or More Races, 3.68% Asian, 0.192% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.118% 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 52.6% White, 16.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 13% 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, 108 students (1.6%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 250 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 (830 degrees awarded). There were 4.03 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (206 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago is Cinematography & Film Production (266 degrees awarded), followed by Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (82 degrees) and Graphic Design (67 degrees).

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 (135 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (1,010 degrees), and English (78 degrees).

Workforce

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

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 Elementary & middle school teachers (251,615 people), Other managers (226,569 people), Postsecondary teachers (153,446 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (131,068 people), and Secondary school teachers (108,934 people).

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Communication Technologies (135 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (1,010 degrees), English (78 degrees), Communications (140 degrees), and Cultural & Gender Studies (8 degrees).

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, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Chief executives & legislators

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 (524,090 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (365,151 people), Computer Systems Design (185,926 people), Advertising, public relations & related services (139,316 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (136,012 people).

Degrees

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

Cinematography & Film Production
266 degree-majorss awarded
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects
82 degree-majorss awarded
Graphic Design
67 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago was Cinematography & Film Production with 266 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

622

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

872

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 622 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago, which is 0.713 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (872).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 151 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Cinematography & Film Production, which is 1.31 times more than the 115 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 115 degrees were awarded to women at Columbia College Chicago in Cinematography & Film Production, which is 0.762 times less than the 151 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

38%

100% Completion Time

48%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 38% of students graduating from Columbia College Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 48% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 49% 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.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (60%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Columbia College Chicago is Female and White (60% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

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, 4.36% of graduates (39 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
830 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
206 degrees awarded
Black or African American
162 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Columbia College Chicago is white (830 degrees awarded). There were 4.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (206 degrees).

3.68% of degree recipients (55 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
485 degrees awarded
White Male
345 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
117 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Columbia College Chicago is white female (485 degrees awarded). There were 1.41 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (345 degrees).

Operations

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at nearly $202M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $20.2M (10%), compared to the 3.19% average return ($1.26M on $39.6M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2020, Columbia College Chicago had a total salary expenditure of $185M. Columbia College Chicago employs 136 Associate professors, 53 Lecturers, and 38 Professors. Most academics at Columbia College Chicago are Male Associate professors (75), Female Associate professors(61), and Male Lecturers (27).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 135 employees, Management, with 114 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 60 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$202M

2020 Endowment

5.61%

growth from 2019

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at about $202M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Columbia College Chicago grew 5.61% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $162M 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

$7.46M - Federal
$1.26M - State
$1.28k - Local

As of 2020, Columbia College Chicago received $7.46M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.26M from state grants and contracts, and $1.28k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$78.2M

2020 Salaries

1.4%

decline from 2019

In 2020, Columbia College Chicago paid a median of $78.2M in salaries, which represents 42.3% of their overall expenditure ($185M) and a 1.4% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 0.594% growth from 2018 and a 9.93% decline from 2017.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 34.6M (40.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$20.1M

Instructional Salaries

260

Number of Employees

In 2020, Columbia College Chicago paid a total of $20.1M to 260 employees working as instructors, which represents 25.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.8%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

136 Employees

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

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

135 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Associate professor with 136 employees; Lecturer with 53 employees; and Lecturer with 38 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 135 employees; Management with 114 employees; and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 60 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor
Male Lecturer

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago was Male Associate professor with 75 employees, Female Associate professor with 61 employees, and Male Lecturer with 27 employees.

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

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