Columbia College vs. CCAD

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Columbus College of Art and Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or CCAD 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. Columbus College of Art and Design comparison
Columbia College Chicago Columbus College of Art and Design College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago Columbus College of Art and Design
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Overview

Columbia College CCAD
Location Chicago, IL Columbus, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,646 972
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu ccad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College CCAD
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $37,650
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $37,650
Room & Board $18,000 $11,000
Avg Net Price $28,387 $29,238
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $23,246
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College CCAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 776
Admitted 7,298 706
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 91%
Enrolled % 22%Open 32.2%
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 considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia College CCAD
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 (100%)

Outcomes

Columbia College CCAD
Graduation Rate 41% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $38,100
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College CCAD
% Men 40% 30%
% Women 60% 70%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 66%
% Black 15% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Columbia College CCAD
% In-State 57% 67%
% Out-of-State 40% 28%

Campus

Columbia College CCAD
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 CCAD based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 972 students)

Columbia College vs. CCAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or CCAD?

  • Columbus College of Art and Design is 28.6% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($37,650.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.6% higher at CCAD than Columbia College Chicago ($37,650.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College Chicago than CCAD ($28,387 vs. $29,238)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbus College of Art and Design are 63.6% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($11,000 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbus College of Art and Design than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbus College of Art and Design students is 29% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($23,246 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. CCAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than CCAD (91%)

Columbia College vs. CCAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CCAD is higher than Columbia College Chicago (64% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Columbus College of Art and Design earn on average $800 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($38,100 vs. $37,300)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CCAD graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than CCAD graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More CCAD 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/