Columbia College vs. Divine Word College

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

Columbia College Divine Word College
Location Chicago, IL Epworth, IA
Setting Large City Distant Rural
Enrollment 6,646 68
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu dwci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Divine Word College
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $14,400
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $14,400
Room & Board $18,000 $4,100
Avg Net Price $28,387 $12,917
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $8,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College Divine Word College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 -
Admitted 7,298 -
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open
Enrolled % 22%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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Columbia College Divine Word College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (60%)
  • Social Sciences (40%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Divine Word College
Graduation Rate 41% 17%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 46% -
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $268 N/A

Diversity

Columbia College Divine Word College
% Men 40% 40%
% Women 60% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 1%
% Black 15% 1%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 3% 68%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

Columbia College Divine Word College
% In-State 57% 33%
% Out-of-State 40% 0%

Campus

Columbia College Divine Word College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 Divine Word College based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 68 students)

Columbia College vs. Divine Word College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Divine Word College?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 103.3% more expensive to attend than Divine Word College for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $14,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103.3% higher at Columbia College than Divine Word College ($29,270.00 vs. $14,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Divine Word College than Columbia College ($12,917 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Divine Word College are 339% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($4,100 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Divine Word College than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 109.9% larger than aid received Divine Word College ($18,020 vs. $8,583)

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

Columbia College vs. Divine Word College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Divine Word College? 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 Divine Word College and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Divine Word College (41% vs. 17%)

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