Columbia College vs. CCS

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or College for Creative Studies? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or CCS 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. College for Creative Studies comparison
Columbia College Chicago College for Creative Studies College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago College for Creative Studies
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Overview

Columbia College CCS
Location Chicago, IL Detroit, MI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,646 1,517
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu collegeforcreativestudies.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College CCS
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $48,030
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $48,030
Room & Board $18,000 $8,850
Avg Net Price $28,387 $34,906
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $24,307
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 97%

Admission

Columbia College CCS
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 1,622
Admitted 7,298 798
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 49.2%
Enrolled % 22%Open 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
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

Academics

Columbia College CCS
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)

Outcomes

Columbia College CCS
Graduation Rate 41% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College CCS
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 58%
% Black 15% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 11%

Students

Columbia College CCS
% In-State 57% 76%
% Out-of-State 40% 20%

Campus

Columbia College CCS
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 CCS based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 1,517 students)

Columbia College vs. CCS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or CCS?

  • College for Creative Studies is 64.1% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($48,030.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.1% higher at CCS than Columbia College Chicago ($48,030.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College Chicago than CCS ($28,387 vs. $34,906)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College for Creative Studies are 103.4% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($8,850 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than College for Creative Studies (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College for Creative Studies students is 34.9% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($24,307 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. CCS Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at CCS (3.19)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than CCS (49.2%)

Columbia College vs. CCS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CCS is higher than Columbia College Chicago (57% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from College for Creative Studies earn on average $8,800 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $37,300)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CCS graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than CCS graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More CCS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 46%)

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