Quad

Key differences on Cost & aid

  1. 1

    Mercy costs about $6.6K less per year on average than Columbia College Chicago ($25,034 vs. $31,609, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  2. 2

    Columbia College Chicago's grants cover 42% of its full price on average, vs. 41% at Mercy

    Aid generosity

Cost & aid

Cost & aid

Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.

What students pay

Average cost, all students
Mercy$25K
Columbia College Chicago$31.6K
Aid generosity
Mercy41%
Columbia College Chicago42%
Net price, with grants
Mercy$15.2K
Columbia College Chicago$29.5K

Grants

First-years receiving grants
Mercy99%
Columbia College Chicago100%
Average grant
Mercy$17.7K
Columbia College Chicago$22.8K
Aid from the college
Mercy98%
Columbia College Chicago100%

Sticker prices

On one scale, so the bars read against each other.

Sticker price, in-state
Mercy$42.4K
Columbia College Chicago$54.3K
Sticker price, out-of-state
Mercy$42.4K
Columbia College Chicago$54.3K
Tuition & fees, in-state
Mercy$22.1K
Columbia College Chicago$32.5K
Tuition & fees, out-of-state
Mercy$22.1K
Columbia College Chicago$32.5K
First-years paying out-of-state rates
MercyNot reported
Columbia College ChicagoNot reported
What families at each income pay

Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .

Family income per year $150K

  • MercyPublished data end at $110K

    Merit possible (proxy); averaging $10K

  • Columbia College ChicagoPublished data end at $110K

    Merit possible (proxy); averaging $14K

Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.

Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises

MetricMercyColumbia College Chicago
Need-based aid up to Published data end at $110KPublished data end at $110K
Merit for students without need 10% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $10K (proxy)22% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $14K (proxy)
Published promise ––

A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.

Tuition guarantee & Promise program

MetricMercyColumbia College Chicago
Tuition guarantee NoNo
Promise program NoNo

All cost numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why