Columbia College vs. Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Purdue Global Des Moines Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Roosevelt University Southern New Hampshire University ASU DePaul Bellevue University Huntington University Northern Illinois Emerson MIAD WPI Ithaca College Berklee School of Music
Columbia College Chicago vs. Purdue Global Des Moines Campus comparison
Columbia College Chicago Purdue Global Des Moines Campus College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
Location Chicago, IL Urbandale, IA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,646 760
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website colum.edu kaplanuniversity.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $13,356
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $13,356
Room & Board $18,000 $4,959
Avg Net Price $28,387 -
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 0%

Admission

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 -
Admitted 7,298 -
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open Open
Enrolled % 22%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, 2025

Academics

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (39%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (11%)
  • Legal Professions (3%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
Graduation Rate 41% 100%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $39,400
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 25%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $28,965
Median Loan Payment $268 $299

Diversity

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
% Men 40% 9%
% Women 60% 91%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 72%
% Black 15% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 14%

Students

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
% In-State 57% 100%
% Out-of-State 40% 0%

Campus

 Columbia College Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 760 students)

Columbia College vs. Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 119.2% more expensive to attend than Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $13,356.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 119.2% higher at Columbia College than Purdue Global Des Moines Campus ($29,270.00 vs. $13,356.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue Global Des Moines Campus are 263% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($4,959 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Purdue Global Des Moines Campus (99% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is ?% larger than aid received Purdue Global Des Moines Campus ($18,020 vs. $0)

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

Columbia College vs. Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus? 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 Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus is higher than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Purdue Global Des Moines Campus earn on average $2,100 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($39,400 vs. $37,300)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $2,965 lower median federal student loan debt than Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus graduates. ($26,000 vs. $28,965)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus graduates. ($268 vs. $299)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue Global-Des Moines Campus students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 25%)

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