Quad

Head-to-head

Columbia College Chicago
U. Mount Saint Vincent

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    U. Mount Saint Vincent grads earn $23.6K more ten years out than Columbia College Chicago's ($65,756 vs. $42,195)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  2. 2

    U. Mount Saint Vincent has 16 pts more first-gen students than Columbia College Chicago (41% vs. 25%)

    First-generation students
  3. 3

    Columbia College Chicago has 2.0× as many undergrads as U. Mount Saint Vincent

    Undergrads
  4. 4

    U. Mount Saint Vincent graduates 8 pts more of its students than Columbia College Chicago (63% vs. 55%)

    Graduation rate
  5. 5

    U. Mount Saint Vincent's grants cover 47% of its full price on average, vs. 42% at Columbia College Chicago

    Aid generosity
  6. 6

    Columbia College Chicago is more diverse (index 0.72 vs. 0.70)

    Diversity index

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

U. Mount Saint Vincent admits 85%, Columbia College Chicago 89%; Columbia College Chicago's yield is higher, at 15%.

Acceptance rate
Columbia College Chicago89%
U. Mount Saint Vincent85%
Quad's selectivity
  • Columbia College ChicagoOpen
  • U. Mount Saint VincentOpen
SAT middle 50%Axis 900–1600
Columbia College ChicagoTest-blind
U. Mount Saint Vincent
1011–1178
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Columbia College ChicagoSchool record required
  • U. Mount Saint VincentGPA and school record required

Who's on each campus

Columbia College Chicago is twice U. Mount Saint Vincent's size; both have the same Pell share, 46%.

Undergrads
Columbia College Chicago5.4K
U. Mount Saint Vincent2.7K
Pell Grant share
Columbia College Chicago46%
U. Mount Saint Vincent46%

Majors and faculty

Cinematography and Film/Video Production leads at Columbia College Chicago, and Psychology at U. Mount Saint Vincent.

Students per faculty member
Columbia College Chicago15 to 1
U. Mount Saint Vincent12 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Columbia College ChicagoCinematography and Film/Video Production19%
  • U. Mount Saint VincentPsychology, General56%

What each costs

Columbia College Chicago and U. Mount Saint Vincent cost about the same a year on average; U. Mount Saint Vincent's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Columbia College Chicago$31.6K
U. Mount Saint Vincent$32.6K
Aid generosity
Columbia College Chicago42%
U. Mount Saint Vincent47%

What each pays off

U. Mount Saint Vincent's former students earn more, a median $65.8K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 50% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Columbia College Chicago$42.2K
U. Mount Saint Vincent$65.8K
Graduation rate
Columbia College Chicago55%
U. Mount Saint Vincent63%

How each has changed

Applications grew at U. Mount Saint Vincent but fell at Columbia College Chicago; U. Mount Saint Vincent got more selective while Columbia College Chicago held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Columbia College ChicagoShrinking−15%
  • U. Mount Saint VincentGrowing+49%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About 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