Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private · Large city · CCC
Private institution in Chicago, IL · 6,294 undergraduates · 91% acceptance rate · $42,195 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 19%Undergraduates
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $26,7881,585th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $32,5201,407th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $32,5201,339th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $49,7991,480th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $25,0001,246th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $42,1951,512th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $32,5961,671st highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 48.5%1,225th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 64.0%1,485th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 91.2%1,282nd most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 6,294407th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,317th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 43.2%587th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 9 mi (MDW)
On 2 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- Free
- Personal essay
- Optional / not required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 25 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhysicsPhysical Sciences | bachelors | $61,516 | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $38,289 | $31,133 |
| MarketingBusiness | bachelors | $37,054 | $40,355 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $36,016 | $36,124 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $35,060 | — |
| American Sign LanguageForeign Languages | bachelors | $32,925 | $35,330 |
| JournalismCommunications | bachelors | $32,569 | $30,635 |
| Design and Applied ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $30,748 | $29,737 |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/TechniciansCommunications Technology | bachelors | $30,264 | $29,113 |
| Arts, Entertainment,and Media ManagementVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $28,895 | $27,507 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationCommunications | bachelors | $28,790 | $27,222 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | $27,048 | $28,849 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1890source
- Motto: "Esse Quam Videri"source
- Formerly known as "Columbia School of Oratory" (1890–1904)source
- Formerly known as "Columbia College of Expression (1904–1928, 1928–1944)"source
- Formerly known as "Mary A. Blood School of Speech Arts (1928)"source
- Formerly known as "Columbia College" (1944–1997)source
- Notable alum: Alexander Rybaksource
- Notable alum: Michelle Monaghansource
- Notable alum: Andy Dicksource
- Notable alum: Genndy Tartakovskysource
- Notable alum: Becky Lynchsource
Key links
- Official websitecolum.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 144281)
- Compare colleges in ILRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in IllinoisEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Columbia College Chicago vs University of ChicagoHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.