Columbia College Chicago

www.colum.edu

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2022 Undergraduate Tuition

$29,270

10% growth from 2021

2022 Average Net Price

$28,387

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2022 Acceptance Rate

94.8%

7,701 Applicants

2022 Enrolled Students

6,646

94.6% Full-Time

2022 Graduation Rate

47.2%

724 Graduates

About

Columbia College Chicago is a higher education institution located in Cook County, IL. In 2022, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Columbia College Chicago were Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (209 degrees awarded), Cinematography & Film Production (111 degrees), and Graphic Design (76 degrees).

In 2022, 1,381 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Columbia College Chicago. 61.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 38.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (770 degrees), 3.03 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (254 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $29,270, which is $5,274 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,996).

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

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2022, the median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $29,270, which is $5,274 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,996).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $28,387.

In 2022, 93% of undergraduate students attending Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 58% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$29,270

2022 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2022, the cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago was $29,270. The cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $5,274 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,996).

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

Average Net Price

$28,387

2022 Value

12.4%

1 Year Growth

In 2022 Columbia College Chicago had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $28,387. Between 2021 and 2022, the average net price of Columbia College Chicago grew by 12.4%.

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

$16,456

Room and Board

$1,600

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Columbia College Chicago was of $16,456 in 2022. The cost of room and board did not change between 2021 and 2022.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,600. 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 by Income Level

93%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

58%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

93% of undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants or loans in 2022. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2021, 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 7,701 undergraduate applications in 2022, which represents a 6.69% annual growth. Out of those 7,701 applicants, 7,298 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 94.8% acceptance rate.

There were 6,646 students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in 2022.

Columbia College Chicago has an overall enrollment yield of 22%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

94.8%

Acceptance Rate in 2022

7,298

Accepted Out of 7,701

In 2022, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago was 94.8% (7,298 admissions from 7,701 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2021, which was 95.6%. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of applicants grew by 6.69%, while admissions grew by 5.72%.

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.

Enrollment

Columbia College Chicago had a total enrollment of 6,646 students in 2022. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,288 students and the part-time enrollment is 358. This means that 94.6% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 43.7% White, 25.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Black or African American, 4.86% Two or More Races, 3.48% Asian, 0.105% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0903% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (26.1%), followed by White Male (17.6%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (15.7%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (22.6%), followed by White Male (13.6%) and Black or African American Female (9.6%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

94.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Columbia College Chicago in 2022, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,646 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,288 and the part-time enrollment is 358. This means that 94.6% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time compared with 67.6% 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

67%

2022 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 67%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), 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 (2022)

White
2,902 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,671 enrolled students
Black or African American
1,126 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago is 43.7% White, 25.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Black or African American, 4.86% Two or More Races, 3.48% Asian, 0.105% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0903% 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 51.2% White, 17.3% 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, 75 students (1.13%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2022, 323 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 (770 degrees awarded). There were 3.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (254 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago is Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (209 degrees awarded), followed by Cinematography & Film Production (111 degrees) and Graphic Design (76 degrees).

In 2022, 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 (253 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (828 degrees), and English (73 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Postsecondary 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 Postsecondary teachers (221,232 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (217,736 people), Other managers (208,174 people), Secondary school teachers (153,680 people), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (118,436 people).

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago in 2022 are Communication Technologies (253 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (828 degrees), English (73 degrees), Language & Linguistics (23 degrees), and Physical Sciences (13 degrees) (as of 2022).

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 (253 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (828 degrees), English (73 degrees), Language & Linguistics (23 degrees), and Physical Sciences (13 degrees) (as of 2022).

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 (2022)

Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects
209 degrees awarded
Cinematography & Film Production
111 degrees awarded
Graphic Design
76 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago was Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects with 209 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

529

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2022

852

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2022

In 2022, 529 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago, which is 0.621 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (852).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2022, 104 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects, which is 0.99 times less than the 105 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2022, 105 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects, which is 1.01 times more than the 104 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

42%

100% Completion Time

50%

150% Completion Time

In 2022, 42% of students graduating from Columbia College Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 50% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 51% 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.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (76.9%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2022 at Columbia College Chicago is Female and Asian (76.9% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (73.2%).

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, 6.77% of graduates (49 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2022)

White
770 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
254 degrees awarded
Black or African American
142 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Columbia College Chicago is white (770 degrees awarded). There were 3.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (254 degrees).

2.03% of degree recipients (28 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2022)

White Female
466 degrees awarded
White Male
304 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
154 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Columbia College Chicago is white female (466 degrees awarded). There were 1.53 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (304 degrees).

Operations

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at nearly $192M, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of −35.7M (−18.6%) compared to the 0.773% average return (360k on 46.6M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2022, Columbia College Chicago had a total salary expenditure of 193M. Columbia College Chicago employs 117 Associate professors, 56 Lecturers and 43 Professors. Most academics at Columbia College Chicago are Male Associate professor (70), Female Associate professor (47), and Male Lecturer (31).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 128 employees, Management, with 111 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 62 employees.

Endowment

$192M

2022 Endowment

18.5%

decline from 2021

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at about $192M, as of the end of the 2022 fiscal year. The endowment of Columbia College Chicago declined 18.5% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $145M 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.

Salary Expenditure

$76.3M

2022 Salaries

4.07%

growth from 2021

In 2022, Columbia College Chicago paid a median of $76.3M in salaries, which represents 39.6% of their overall expenditure ($193M) and a 4.07% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.29% decline between 2020 and 2021, and a 1.4% decline between 2019 and 2020.

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

Instructional Salaries

$19M

Instructional Salaries

234

Number of Employees

In 2022, Columbia College Chicago paid a total of $19M to 234 employees working as instructors, which represents 24.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11.3M (31.2%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

117 Employees

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

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

128 Employees

In 2022, the most common positions for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Associate professor with 117 employees, Lecturer with 56 employees, and Professor with 43 employees.

In 2022, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 128 employees, Management with 111 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 62 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2022)

Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor
Male Lecturer

In 2022, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago was Male Associate professor with 70 employees, Female Associate professor with 47 employees, and Male Lecturer with 31 employees.

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

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