Quad

Head-to-head

Park
Columbia College Chicago

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Park has 23 pts more first-gen students than Columbia College Chicago (48% vs. 25%)

    First-generation students
  2. 2

    Park grads earn $14.1K more ten years out than Columbia College Chicago's ($56,309 vs. $42,195)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  3. 3

    Park costs about $10.1K less per year on average than Columbia College Chicago ($21,460 vs. $31,609, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  4. 4

    Columbia College Chicago graduates 12 pts more of its students than Park (55% vs. 43%)

    Graduation rate
  5. 5

    Columbia College Chicago's grants cover 42% of its full price on average, vs. 30% at Park

    Aid generosity
  6. 6

    Columbia College Chicago has 5 pts more Pell recipients than Park (46% vs. 41%)

    Pell Grant recipients

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

Columbia College Chicago admits 89%; Park doesn't report an acceptance rate.

Acceptance rate
ParkNot reported
Columbia College Chicago89%
Quad's selectivity
  • ParkNot rated
  • Columbia College ChicagoOpen
SAT middle 50%
ParkNot reported
Columbia College ChicagoTest-blind
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • ParkNot reported
  • Columbia College ChicagoSchool record required

Who's on each campus

Columbia College Chicago is a bit larger than Park (5,368 vs. 4,555 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Park4.6K
Columbia College Chicago5.4K
Pell Grant share
Park41%
Columbia College Chicago46%

Majors and faculty

Business Administration and Management leads at Park, and Cinematography and Film/Video Production at Columbia College Chicago.

Students per faculty member
Park13 to 1
Columbia College Chicago15 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • ParkBusiness Administration and Management, General22%
  • Columbia College ChicagoCinematography and Film/Video Production19%

What each costs

Park costs about $10.1K less a year than Columbia College Chicago on average; Columbia College Chicago's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Park$21.5K
Columbia College Chicago$31.6K
Aid generosity
Park30%
Columbia College Chicago42%

What each pays off

Park's former students earn more, a median $56.3K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 55% at Columbia College Chicago to 43% at Park.

Median earnings, 10 years
Park$56.3K
Columbia College Chicago$42.2K
Graduation rate
Park43%
Columbia College Chicago55%

How each has changed

Applications fell at Columbia College Chicago, whose selectivity held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • ParkNot reported
  • Columbia College ChicagoShrinking−15%
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