Quad

Head-to-head

Concordia University-Chicago
Columbia

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Concordia University-Chicago grads earn $12.8K more ten years out than Columbia's ($54,089 vs. $41,338)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  2. 2

    Columbia has 8 pts more Pell recipients than Concordia University-Chicago (54% vs. 46%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  3. 3

    Concordia University-Chicago's grants cover 51% of its full price on average, vs. 45% at Columbia

    Aid generosity
  4. 4

    Columbia costs about $4.4K less per year on average than Concordia University-Chicago ($19,877 vs. $24,298, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  5. 5

    Concordia University-Chicago graduates 4 pts more of its students than Columbia (56% vs. 52%)

    Graduation rate
  6. 6

    Columbia has 3 pts more first-gen students than Concordia University-Chicago (41% vs. 39%)

    First-generation students

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

Concordia University-Chicago admits 93%, Columbia 94%; Columbia's yield is higher, at 9%.

Acceptance rate
Concordia University-Chicago93%
Columbia94%
Quad's selectivity
  • Concordia University-ChicagoOpen
  • ColumbiaOpen
SAT middle 50%
Concordia University-ChicagoTest-blind
ColumbiaTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Concordia University-ChicagoGPA and school record required
  • ColumbiaSchool record considered

Who's on each campus

Concordia University-Chicago and Columbia are about the same size; Columbia has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Concordia University-Chicago1.3K
Columbia1.3K
Pell Grant share
Concordia University-Chicago46%
Columbia54%

Majors and faculty

Exercise Science and Kinesiology leads at Concordia University-Chicago, and Criminal Justice/Safety Studies at Columbia.

Students per faculty member
Concordia University-Chicago13 to 1
Columbia12 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Concordia University-ChicagoExercise Science and Kinesiology33%
  • ColumbiaCriminal Justice/Safety Studies13%

What each costs

Columbia costs about $4.4K less a year than Concordia University-Chicago on average; Concordia University-Chicago's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Concordia University-Chicago$24.3K
Columbia$19.9K
Aid generosity
Concordia University-Chicago51%
Columbia45%

What each pays off

Concordia University-Chicago's former students earn more, a median $54.1K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 50% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Concordia University-Chicago$54.1K
Columbia$41.3K
Graduation rate
Concordia University-Chicago56%
Columbia52%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; both got less selective.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Concordia University-ChicagoGrowing+13%
  • ColumbiaGrowing+527%
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