Columbia College vs. Great Lakes Christian College

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

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
Location Chicago, IL Lansing, MI
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,529 130
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu glcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
Tuition (In State) $30,734 $18,890
Tuition (Out of State) $30,734 $18,890
Room & Board $16,838 $10,000
Avg Net Price $29,790 $19,390
Avg Grant Aid $20,851 $10,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,873 -
Admitted 7,178 -
Acceptance Rate 91.2%Open Open
Enrolled % 22.4%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)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (75%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • History (4%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
Graduation Rate 41% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $28,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 35%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $268 N/A

Diversity

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
% Men 1% 18%
% Women 2% 24%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 75%
% Black 15% 19%
% Hispanic 11% 0%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
% In-State 57% 51%
% Out-of-State 40% 23%

Campus

 Columbia College Great Lakes Christian College
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 Great Lakes Christian College based on total student enrollment (6,529 students vs. 130 students)

Columbia College vs. Great Lakes Christian College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Great Lakes Christian College?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 62.7% more expensive to attend than Great Lakes Christian College for in-state tuition ($30,734.00 vs. $18,890.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62.7% higher at Columbia College than Great Lakes Christian College ($30,734.00 vs. $18,890.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Great Lakes Christian College than Columbia College ($19,390 vs. $29,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Great Lakes Christian College are 68.4% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($10,000 vs. $16,838)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Great Lakes Christian College than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 102.9% larger than aid received Great Lakes Christian College ($20,851 vs. $10,274)

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

Columbia College vs. Great Lakes Christian College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Great Lakes Christian 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 Great Lakes Christian College and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Great Lakes Christian College (41% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College Chicago earn on average $8,900 more per year than Great Lakes Christian College graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $28,400)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Great Lakes Christian College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 35%)

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