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Purdue North Central Roosevelt University IU DePaul Purdue Indiana State IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI Ohio University Kent State GVSU| Columbia College Chicago | Ball State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Muncie, IN | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 6,646 | 19,777 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #547 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colum.edu | bsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $29,270 | $8,434 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $29,270 | $25,918 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,000 | $10,904 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $28,387 | $12,615 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $18,020 | $11,418 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 97% |
Admission |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,701 | 22,859 | ||
| Admitted | 7,298 | 15,761 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 94.8%Open | 68.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22%Open | 22.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.52 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 23/28 | |||
| SAT Range | 1090/1260 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 41% | 55% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,300 | $42,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 46% | 63% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $258 |
Diversity |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 35% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 65% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 55% | 81% | ||
| % Black | 15% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 57% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 9% | ||
Campus |
Columbia College | BSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Ball State University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 6,646 students)
Columbia College vs. BSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or BSU?
- Columbia College Chicago is 247% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $8,434.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12.9% higher at Columbia College than Ball State University ($29,270.00 vs. $25,918.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Columbia College ($12,615 vs. $28,387)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 65.1% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($10,904 vs. $18,000)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Ball State University (99% vs. 97%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 57.8% larger than aid received Ball State University ($18,020 vs. $11,418)
Columbia College vs. BSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or BSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BSU or Columbia College .
- Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Columbia College (3.41)
- Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than BSU (68.9%)
Columbia College vs. BSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Columbia College or BSU? 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 BSU and Columbia College.
- The graduation rate at BSU is higher than Columbia College Chicago (55% vs. 41%)
- Graduates from Ball State University earn on average $5,200 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,300)
- Ball State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
- BSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
- More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 46%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/