B-
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    B
  2. Value
    C+
  3. Diversity
    A
  4. Campus
    B+
  5. Athletics
    NG
  6. Party Scene
    A
  7. Professors
    B+
  8. Location
    A
  9. Dorms
    B
  10. Campus Food
    B
  11. Student Life
    B+
  12. Safety
    C+
View Full Report Card
Columbia College Chicago is ...
Private not-for-profit
Athletic Division
—
Athletic Conference
—
Address
600 South Michigan
Chicago, IL 60605
Website
colum.edu

Columbia College Chicago Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
88%
SAT Range
—
ACT Range
—
Application Fee
$35
SAT/ACT
Recommended
High School GPA
Required
Will You Get In?

Test Scores and GPA for Columbia College Chicago

Cost

Net Price
$29,181/ year
National
$15,403
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $25,969/ year
  • $30-48k
    $26,520/ year
  • $49-75k
    $30,276/ year
  • $76-110k
    $31,363/ year
  • $110k+
    $33,989/ year

Academics

Professors
B+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
12:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
83%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.143 responses
57%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.147 responses
64%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.144 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Cinematography and Video Production
    278 Graduates
  • Graphic Design
    122 Graduates
  • Recording Arts Technician
    120 Graduates
  • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
    111 Graduates
  • Retailing Management
    100 Graduates
  • Photography
    81 Graduates
  • Music Management
    80 Graduates
  • Journalism
    75 Graduates
  • Creative Writing
    74 Graduates
  • Marketing
    65 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
7,806Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
7%
Pell Grant
39%
Varsity Athletes
—
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 89 responses
Report
  • I describe a Columbia College student as... artsy!
    34%
  • Individualist
    11%
  • All of the Above
    10%
  • Unique, different from every other school
    10%
  • "Create Change"
    9%
  • Special snowflakes
    7%
  • Different
    6%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
73%
Poll
91%
of students say they don't have Greek life.128 responses
Poll
88%
of students say no one pays attention to varsity sports.211 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 89 responses
Report
  • Artistic
    52%
  • Passionate
    31%
  • Independent
    10%
  • Nonchalant
    6%
  • Exuberant
    1%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$32,700/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
42%
National
48%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
90%
National
83%
67%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.89 responses
Colleges like Columbia College Chicago
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Columbia College Chicago Reviews

2,422 reviews
All Categories
This school is so much fun! They aren't kidding when they say they will prepare you for the real world and give you hands on experiences. The city is so fun to live in, it's not at all like your typical state school. Everyone is a weird artsy kid like you. First of all, make sure you have enough money to go here. They don't give out many scholarships past incoming freshmen. Second, meet with people and network. Don't come here undecided in your major, because there's really no room for error without wasting money because they focus on more career specific courses, even your gen eds will be related to your major.
Review Columbia College Chicago
I love this school so much! The people, the location, the classes and the dorms. It's really great. It's not your typical college and that's what I love about it, I feel like I'm in the real world. Your classes are small so you're able to have meaningful discussions with your classmates and all my professors have been really good. If the arts is something you want to go for, check this school out. Yes its expensive but honestly what college isn't these days. You're getting what you pay for and you're in the heart of Chicago as your playground. Work hard and apply for scholarships if your serious about this school and I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. It's truly amazing!
Columbia has a very open and accepting environment that makes all feel welcome. Class sizes are very reasonable, student talent is shown off, there are many great faculty members. There are student organizations for every interest and it is easy for students to create new ones. It is a very inclusive and creative environment. For a private school tuition is very reasonable, however, opportunities for scholarships are lacking and Student Financial Services is a nightmare to deal with. But the ability to cultivate one's education to meet one's interests and to learn practical applications of one's knowledge make this school worth attending. Not for people who are interested in a more traditional campus, weekend sporting events, Greek life, or whom are especially conservative.