Quad

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, ILQuad's selectivityOpen
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Columbia College Chicago admits about 9 in 10 applicants (89%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 24% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

89%

89%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

7,079

Admitted

6,333

Yield

15%

of admits enroll

Applications −15% since fall 2014 · admit rate 89% → 89%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 5,368 undergrads, where 46% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

5.4K

undergrads · larger than 79% of colleges

Diversity index

0.72

Pell Grant

46%

above the median

First generation

25%

below the median

Large cityStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.63 → 0.72 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Cinematography and Film/Video Production (19% of graduates). 15 students for every faculty member, more than at 66% of colleges. 37% of faculty are full-time. Spends $10,551 a year on instruction per student.

15 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 66% of colleges

Most popular major

Cinematography and Film/Video Production

19% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

$66.8K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

37%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$10.6K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $31,609 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7.3K more than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $29,473 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $54,288.

42%

$31.6K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7.3K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$54,288 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
22% · avg $14K
of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)
Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 42% of full price

Federal loans

56%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −26% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $42,195 ten years after enrolling, more than at 18% of colleges; 55% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 3.0 years of that salary.

55%

55%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$42.2K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25K

≈ $265/month for 10 years

Retention

66%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 43% → 52% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 26%, because grants grew faster. Applications fell 15% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 89% to 89%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −26% after inflation

  • Applications

    Shrinking

    −15%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 89% → 89%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.63 → 0.72

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Columbia College Chicago (2026)

    Columbia College Chicago · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 144281 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything