Columbia College vs. Illinois College

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

Columbia College Illinois College
Location Chicago, IL Jacksonville, IL
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 6,646 1,029
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #687
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu ic.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Illinois College
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $35,796
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $35,796
Room & Board $18,000 $9,964
Avg Net Price $28,387 $16,296
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $29,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College Illinois College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 3,243
Admitted 7,298 2,503
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 77.2%
Enrolled % 22%Open 9.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.63
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26
SAT Range 960/1126
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

Academics

Columbia College Illinois College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Business (11%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Illinois College
Graduation Rate 41% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College Illinois College
% Men 40% 47%
% Women 60% 53%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 69%
% Black 15% 12%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Columbia College Illinois College
% In-State 57% 70%
% Out-of-State 40% 21%

Campus

Columbia College Illinois 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 Illinois College based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 1,029 students)

Columbia College vs. Illinois College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Illinois College?

  • Illinois College is 22.3% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($35,796.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.3% higher at Illinois College than Columbia College Chicago ($35,796.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Illinois College than Columbia College ($16,296 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois College are 80.7% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($9,964 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Illinois College than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois College students is 65.3% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($29,785 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. Illinois College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Illinois College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at Columbia College (3.41)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Illinois College (77.2%)

Columbia College vs. Illinois College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Illinois 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 Illinois College and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois College is higher than Columbia College Chicago (57% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Illinois College earn on average $8,000 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $37,300)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois College graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois College graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Illinois College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 46%)

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