Columbia College vs. Brown Mackie College-Merrillville

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Brown Mackie College Merrillville? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or Brown Mackie College-Merrillville 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. Brown Mackie College Merrillville comparison
Columbia College Chicago Brown Mackie College Merrillville College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago
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Overview

Columbia College Brown Mackie College-Merrillville
Location Chicago, IL Merrillville, IN
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,646 178
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website colum.edu brownmackie.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Brown Mackie College-Merrillville
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $11,772
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $11,772
Room & Board $18,000 $6,363
Avg Net Price $28,387 -
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 0%

Admission

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

Academics

Columbia College Brown Mackie College-Merrillville
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 0:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (78%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Legal Professions (4%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (2%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Brown Mackie College-Merrillville
Graduation Rate 41% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $32,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 20%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,188
Median Loan Payment $268 $229

Diversity

Columbia College Brown Mackie College-Merrillville
% Men 40% 0%
% Women 60% 0%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 34%
% Black 15% 51%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Columbia College Brown Mackie College-Merrillville
% In-State 57% -
% Out-of-State 40% -

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than Brown Mackie College-Merrillville based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 178 students)

Columbia College vs. Brown Mackie College-Merrillville Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Brown Mackie College-Merrillville?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 148.6% more expensive to attend than Brown Mackie College-Merrillville for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $11,772.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.6% higher at Columbia College than Brown Mackie College Merrillville ($29,270.00 vs. $11,772.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brown Mackie College Merrillville are 182.9% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($6,363 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Brown Mackie College Merrillville (99% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is ?% larger than aid received Brown Mackie College Merrillville ($18,020 vs. $0)

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

Columbia College vs. Brown Mackie College-Merrillville Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Brown Mackie College-Merrillville? 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 Brown Mackie College-Merrillville and Columbia College.

  • Graduates from Columbia College Chicago earn on average $4,900 more per year than Brown Mackie College-Merrillville graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $32,400)
  • Brown Mackie College Merrillville students graduate with a $3,812 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($22,188 vs. $26,000)
  • Brown Mackie College-Merrillville graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($229 vs. $268)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Brown Mackie College-Merrillville students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 20%)

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