Columbia College vs. Indiana State

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

 Columbia College Indiana State
Location Chicago, IL Terre Haute, IN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 6,646 8,658
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu indstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Indiana State
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $9,452
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $20,880
Room & Board $18,000 $11,350
Avg Net Price $28,387 $12,688
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $10,802
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

 Columbia College Indiana State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 18,531
Admitted 7,298 17,105
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 92.3%
Enrolled % 22%Open 9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.29
Typical High School Grades B+ 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 Indiana State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Indiana State
Graduation Rate 41% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,720
Median Loan Payment $268 $245

Diversity

 Columbia College Indiana State
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 66%
% Black 15% 19%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Columbia College Indiana State
% In-State 57% 81%
% Out-of-State 40% 18%

Campus

 Columbia College Indiana State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana State University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (8,658 students vs. 6,646 students)

Columbia College vs. Indiana State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Indiana State?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 209.7% more expensive to attend than Indiana State for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $9,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.2% higher at Columbia College than Indiana State University ($29,270.00 vs. $20,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana State University than Columbia College ($12,688 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana State University are 58.6% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($11,350 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Indiana State University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 66.8% larger than aid received Indiana State University ($18,020 vs. $10,802)

Columbia College vs. Indiana State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Indiana State (3.29)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Indiana State (92.3%)

Columbia College vs. Indiana State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Indiana State? 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 Indiana State and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Indiana State is higher than Columbia College Chicago (42% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Indiana State University earn on average $3,100 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,300)
  • Indiana State University students graduate with a $2,280 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($23,720 vs. $26,000)
  • Indiana State graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($245 vs. $268)
  • More Indiana State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 46%)

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