Columbia College vs. AAC

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Art Academy of Cincinnati? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or AAC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Columbia College Chicago vs. Art Academy of Cincinnati comparison
Columbia College Chicago Art Academy of Cincinnati College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago Art Academy of Cincinnati
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Overview

Columbia College AAC
Location Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,646 263
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu artacademy.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College AAC
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $35,404
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $35,404
Room & Board $18,000 $10,500
Avg Net Price $28,387 $27,510
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $17,764
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College AAC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 426
Admitted 7,298 426
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 100%
Enrolled % 22%Open 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia College AAC
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

Columbia College AAC
Graduation Rate 41% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $30,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College AAC
% Men 40% 26%
% Women 60% 74%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 79%
% Black 15% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Columbia College AAC
% In-State 57% 64%
% Out-of-State 40% 35%

Campus

Columbia College AAC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than AAC based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 263 students)

Columbia College vs. AAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or AAC?

  • Art Academy of Cincinnati is 21% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($35,404.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21% higher at AAC than Columbia College Chicago ($35,404.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Art Academy of Cincinnati than Columbia College ($27,510 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Academy of Cincinnati are 71.4% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($10,500 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Art Academy of Cincinnati than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 1.4% larger than aid received Art Academy of Cincinnati ($18,020 vs. $17,764)

Columbia College vs. AAC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or AAC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between AAC or Columbia College .

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at AAC (3.1)
  • AAC has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Columbia College (94.8%)

Columbia College vs. AAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or AAC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between AAC and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at AAC is higher than Columbia College Chicago (44% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College Chicago earn on average $6,900 more per year than AAC graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $30,400)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than AAC graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than AAC graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More AAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/