Columbia College vs. CCSJ

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Calumet College of Saint Joseph? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or CCSJ 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. Calumet College of Saint Joseph comparison
Columbia College Chicago Calumet College of Saint Joseph College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago
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Overview

 Columbia College CCSJ
Location Chicago, IL Whiting, IN
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,646 658
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu ccsj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College CCSJ
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $20,500
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $20,500
Room & Board $18,000 $9,000
Avg Net Price $28,387 $13,634
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $14,532
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Columbia College CCSJ
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 -
Admitted 7,298 -
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open
Enrolled % 22%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.41 2.75
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)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Columbia College CCSJ
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%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (41%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Legal Professions (4%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College CCSJ
Graduation Rate 41% 28%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $46,800
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $268 $204

Diversity

 Columbia College CCSJ
% Men 40% 60%
% Women 60% 40%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 43%
% Black 15% 24%
% Hispanic 11% 31%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

 Columbia College CCSJ
% In-State 57% 59%
% Out-of-State 40% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than CCSJ based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 658 students)

Columbia College vs. CCSJ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or CCSJ?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 42.8% more expensive to attend than CCSJ for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $20,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.8% higher at Columbia College than Calumet College of Saint Joseph ($29,270.00 vs. $20,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Calumet College of Saint Joseph than Columbia College ($13,634 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Calumet College of Saint Joseph are 100% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($9,000 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Calumet College of Saint Joseph than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 24% larger than aid received Calumet College of Saint Joseph ($18,020 vs. $14,532)

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.66 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at CCSJ (2.75)

Columbia College vs. CCSJ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or CCSJ? 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 CCSJ and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Calumet College of Saint Joseph (41% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Calumet College of Saint Joseph earn on average $9,500 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($46,800 vs. $37,300)
  • Calumet College of Saint Joseph students graduate with a $6,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,000)
  • CCSJ graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($204 vs. $268)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCSJ students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 36%)

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