Columbia College Chicago

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$25,580

4.03% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$31,484

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

9.41%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

91.6%

8,121 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

7,312

91.1% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

44%

918 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 (339 degrees awarded), Retail Management (118 degrees), and Graphic Design (108 degrees).

In 2017, 2,010 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Columbia College Chicago. 57.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 42.7% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (1,185 degrees), 5.06 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (234 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $25,580, which is $4,847 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($20,733).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $25,580, which is $4,847 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($20,733).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $31,484.

In 2017, 72% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 68% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$25,580

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago was $25,580. The cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $4,847 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($20,733).

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

Average Net Price

$31,484

2017 Value

6.62%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 Columbia College Chicago had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $31,484. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of Columbia College Chicago grew by 6.62%.

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

$13,298

Room and Board

$1,600

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Columbia College Chicago was of $13,298 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,600. The cost of room and board increased by 1.9% between 2016 and 2017. 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

72%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

68%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

72% of undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a growth of 4.35% with respect to 2016, when 69% 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.

9.41%

2016 Default Rate

286

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at Columbia College Chicago was 9.41%, which represents 286 out of the 3039 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 8,121 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 2.44% annual decline. Out of those 8,121 applicants, 7,440 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 91.6% acceptance rate.

There were 7,312 students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in 2017, and N/A% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Columbia College Chicago has an overall enrollment yield of 19.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

91.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

7,440

Accepted Out of 8,121

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago was 91.6% (7,440 admissions from 8,121 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 88.1%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants declined by -2.44%, while admissions grew by 1.5%.

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 2017 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 7,312 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,663 students and the part-time enrollment is 649. This means that 91.1% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 54.3% White, 14.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13% Black or African American, 4.24% Two or More Races, 3.56% Asian, 0.178% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0547% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (32%), followed by White Male (23%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (8.64%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (33.9%), followed by White Male (15.4%) and Black or African American Female (9.25%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

91.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 7,312 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,663 and the part-time enrollment is 649. This means that 91.1% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time compared with 68.6% 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

66%

2017 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 66%. 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
3,969
Hispanic or Latino
1,051
Black or African American
954

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago is 54.3% White, 14.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13% Black or African American, 4.24% Two or More Races, 3.56% Asian, 0.178% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0547% 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 54.4% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.2% 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, 367 students (5.02%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 294 more women than men received degrees from Columbia College Chicago. The majority of degree recipients at Columbia College Chicago are white (1,185 degrees awarded). There were 5.06 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (234 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago is Cinematography & Film Production (339 degrees awarded), followed by Retail Management (118 degrees) and Graphic Design (108 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 (128 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (1,207 degrees), and Communications (240 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 (298,877 people), Other managers (227,346 people), Postsecondary teachers (155,991 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (123,117 people), and Graphic designers (111,947 people).

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Communication Technologies (128 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (1,207 degrees), Communications (240 degrees), English (115 degrees), and Cultural & Gender Studies (9 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, Electrical & electronics engineers, Physicians, Sales managers, and Dentists

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 (536,534 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (352,467 people), Computer Systems Design (188,901 people), Advertising, public relations & related services (147,371 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (146,415 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
339 degree-majorss awarded
Retail Management
118 degree-majorss awarded
Graphic Design
108 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago was Cinematography & Film Production with 339 degree-majorss awarded.

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

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

858
1,152

In 2017, 858 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago, which is 0.745 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,152).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 223 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Cinematography & Film Production, which is 1.92 times more than the 116 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 116 degrees were awarded to women at Columbia College Chicago in Cinematography & Film Production, which is 0.52 times less than the 223 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

29%

100% Completion Time

42%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 29% of students graduating from Columbia College Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 42% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 43% 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 Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (63.2%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Columbia College Chicago is Female and Asian (63.2% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

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, 1.31% of graduates (12 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,185 degrees awarded
Black or African American
234 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
203 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Columbia College Chicago is white (1,185 degrees awarded). There were 5.06 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (234 degrees).

7.61% of degree recipients (153 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
657 degrees awarded
White Male
528 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
145 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Columbia College Chicago is white female (657 degrees awarded). There were 1.24 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (528 degrees).

Operations

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at nearly $173M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $21.1M (12.2%), compared to the 6.94% average return ($2.3M on $33.1M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2017, Columbia College Chicago had a total salary expenditure of $198M. Columbia College Chicago employs 154 Associate professors, 65 Lecturers, and 31 Professors. Most academics at Columbia College Chicago are Male Associate professors (84), Female Associate professors(70), and Male Lecturers (36).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 126 employees, Management, with 114 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 84 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$173M

2017 Endowment

21.9%

growth from 2016

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at about $173M, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of Columbia College Chicago grew 21.9% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $140M 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

$2.04M - Federal
$1.44M - State
$136k - Local

As of 2017, Columbia College Chicago received $2.04M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.44M from state grants and contracts, and $136k from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$87.6M

2017 Salaries

0.692%

growth from 2016

In 2017, Columbia College Chicago paid a median of $87.6M in salaries, which represents 44.3% of their overall expenditure ($198M) and a 0.692% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 13.1% decline from 2015 and a 1.01% decline from 2014.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 31.4M (40.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$20M

Instructional Salaries

272

Number of Employees

In 2017, Columbia College Chicago paid a total of $20M to 272 employees working as instructors, which represents 22.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $8.02M (34.2%) for similar Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

154 Employees

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

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

126 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Associate professor with 154 employees; Lecturer with 65 employees; and Lecturer with 31 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 126 employees; Management with 114 employees; and Office and Administrative Support with 84 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor
Male Lecturer

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago was Male Associate professor with 84 employees, Female Associate professor with 70 employees, and Male Lecturer with 36 employees.

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

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