Columbia College vs. LEC

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

Columbia College LEC
Location Chicago, IL Painesville, OH
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,529 942
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu lec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College LEC
Tuition (In State) $30,734 $34,596
Tuition (Out of State) $30,734 $34,596
Room & Board $16,838 $11,592
Avg Net Price $29,790 $22,322
Avg Grant Aid $20,851 $26,289
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College LEC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,873 1,193
Admitted 7,178 765
Acceptance Rate 91.2%Open 64.1%
Enrolled % 22.4%Open 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 945/1115
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia College LEC
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%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Columbia College LEC
Graduation Rate 41% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $36,600
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College LEC
% Men 1% 8%
% Women 2% 13%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 77%
% Black 15% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Columbia College LEC
% In-State 57% 54%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than LEC based on total student enrollment (6,529 students vs. 942 students)

Columbia College vs. LEC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or LEC?

  • Lake Erie College is 12.6% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($34,596.00 vs. $30,734.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at LEC than Columbia College Chicago ($34,596.00 vs. $30,734.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lake Erie College than Columbia College ($22,322 vs. $29,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Erie College are 45.3% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($11,592 vs. $16,838)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lake Erie College than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Erie College students is 26.1% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($26,289 vs. $20,851)

Columbia College vs. LEC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at LEC (3.19)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (91.2%) than LEC (64.1%)

Columbia College vs. LEC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or LEC? 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 LEC and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at LEC is higher than Columbia College Chicago (53% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College Chicago earn on average $700 more per year than LEC graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $36,600)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than LEC graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than LEC graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More LEC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 46%)

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