Columbia College Chicago

www.colum.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$26,610

2021 Average Net Price

$25,262

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.82%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

95.6%

7,218 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

6,736

93.9% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

50.9%

897 Graduates

About

Columbia College Chicago is a higher education institution located in Cook County, IL. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Columbia College Chicago were Cinematography & Film Production (176 degrees awarded), Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (132 degrees), and Fashion & Apparel Design (85 degrees).

In 2021, 1,409 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Columbia College Chicago. 60.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (747 degrees), 3.26 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (229 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $26,610, which is $3,426 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $26,610, which is $3,426 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $25,262.

In 2021, 93% of undergraduate students attending Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 83% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$26,610

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago was $26,610. The cost of tuition at Columbia College Chicago is $3,426 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

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

Average Net Price

$25,262

2021 Value

11.6%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Columbia College Chicago had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $25,262. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Columbia College Chicago grew by 11.6%.

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 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 2.85% between 2020 and 2021.

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

83%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

93% of undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 6.9% with respect to 2020, when 87% 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.

1.82%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Columbia College Chicago was 1.82%, which represents 40 out of the 2192 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 7,218 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 10.5% annual growth. Out of those 7,218 applicants, 6,903 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 95.6% acceptance rate.

There were 6,736 students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in 2021.

Columbia College Chicago has an overall enrollment yield of 24.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

95.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

6,903

Accepted Out of 7,218

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Columbia College Chicago was 95.6% (6,903 admissions from 7,218 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 89.5%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 10.5%, while admissions declined by −4.35%..

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 6,736 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,322 students and the part-time enrollment is 414. This means that 93.9% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago, both undergraduate and graduate, is 47.1% White, 23.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Black or African American, 4.94% Two or More Races, 3.68% Asian, 0.134% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.104% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (28.1%), followed by White Male (19.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (14.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (25.3%), followed by White Male (17.2%) and Black or African American Female (10.1%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

93.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Columbia College Chicago in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,736 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia College Chicago is 6,322 and the part-time enrollment is 414. This means that 93.9% of students enrolled at Columbia College Chicago are enrolled full-time compared with 68.3% 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

62%

2021 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 62%. 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 (2021)

White
3,176 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,610 enrolled students
Black or African American
1,005 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Columbia College Chicago is 47.1% White, 23.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Black or African American, 4.94% Two or More Races, 3.68% Asian, 0.134% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.104% 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% White, 16.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.8% 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, 78 students (1.16%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 295 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 (747 degrees awarded). There were 3.26 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (229 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago is Cinematography & Film Production (176 degrees awarded), followed by Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects (132 degrees) and Fashion & Apparel Design (85 degrees).

In 2021, 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 (191 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (879 degrees), and Communications (158 degrees).

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 (271,848 people), Other managers (248,864 people), Postsecondary teachers (174,829 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (142,816 people), and Secondary school teachers (140,697 people).

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago in 2021 are Communication Technologies (191 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (879 degrees), Communications (158 degrees), English (70 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (21 degrees) (as of 2021).

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, Nurse anesthetists, and Sales engineers

The most specialized majors at Columbia College Chicago are Communication Technologies (191 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (879 degrees), Communications (158 degrees), English (70 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (21 degrees) (as of 2021).

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 (599,233 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (406,901 people), Computer Systems Design (217,667 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (154,967 people), and Advertising, public relations & related services (143,470 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 (2021)

Cinematography & Film Production
176 degrees awarded
Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, & Special Effects
132 degrees awarded
Fashion & Apparel Design
85 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Columbia College Chicago was Cinematography & Film Production with 176 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

557

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

852

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 557 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago, which is 0.654 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 2021, 111 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Cinematography & Film Production, which is 1.71 times more than the 65 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 69 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia College Chicago in Fashion & Apparel Design, which is 4.31 times more than the 16 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

42%

100% Completion Time

50%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 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.

Two or More Races Male

Highest Graduation Rate (66.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Columbia College Chicago is Male and Two or More Races (66.7% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

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, 7.36% of graduates (66 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
747 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
229 degrees awarded
Black or African American
196 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Columbia College Chicago is white (747 degrees awarded). There were 3.26 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (229 degrees).

3.12% of degree recipients (44 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
431 degrees awarded
White Male
316 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
144 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Columbia College Chicago is white female (431 degrees awarded). There were 1.36 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (316 degrees).

Operations

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at nearly $236M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 43.2M (18.3%) compared to the 13.1% average return (6.61M on 50.4M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2021, Columbia College Chicago had a total salary expenditure of 183M. Columbia College Chicago employs 129 Associate professors, 51 Lecturers and 39 Professors. Most academics at Columbia College Chicago are Male Associate professor (74), Female Associate professor (55), and Female Lecturer (26).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 123 employees, Management, with 111 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 60 employees.

Endowment

$236M

2021 Endowment

16.8%

growth from 2020

Columbia College Chicago has an endowment valued at about $236M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Columbia College Chicago grew 16.8% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $185M 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

$12M - Federal
$1.11M - State
$7k - Local

As of 2021, Columbia College Chicago received $12M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $1.11M from state grants and contracts, and $7k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$73.3M

2021 Salaries

6.29%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Columbia College Chicago paid a median of $73.3M in salaries, which represents 40.1% of their overall expenditure ($183M) and a 6.29% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 35.1M (41.3% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$19.4M

Instructional Salaries

246

Number of Employees

In 2021, Columbia College Chicago paid a total of $19.4M to 246 employees working as instructors, which represents 26.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.3%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Associate professor

Most Common Instructor

129 Employees

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

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

123 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Associate professor with 129 employees, Lecturer with 51 employees, and Professor with 39 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 123 employees, Management with 111 employees, and Office and Administrative Support with 60 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor
Female Lecturer

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Columbia College Chicago was Male Associate professor with 74 employees, Female Associate professor with 55 employees, and Female Lecturer with 26 employees.

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