Columbia College vs. Madison College

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

 Columbia College Madison College
Location Chicago, IL Madison, WI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 6,646 12,982
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu matcmadison.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College Madison College
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $4,304
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $6,509
Room & Board $18,000 $15,008
Avg Net Price $28,387 $11,588
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $5,289
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 38%

Admission

 Columbia College Madison College
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 Sep 30, 2024

Academics

 Columbia College Madison 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%)
  • Health Professions (61%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Engineering Technology (3%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College Madison College
Graduation Rate 41% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $37,700
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $13,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $134

Diversity

 Columbia College Madison College
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 71%
% Black 15% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Columbia College Madison College
% In-State 57% 95%
% Out-of-State 40% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Madison Area Technical College is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (12,982 students vs. 6,646 students)

Columbia College vs. Madison College Cost Comparison

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

  • Columbia College Chicago is 580.1% more expensive to attend than Madison College for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $4,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 349.7% higher at Columbia College than Madison Area Technical College ($29,270.00 vs. $6,509.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Madison Area Technical College than Columbia College ($11,588 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Madison Area Technical College are 19.9% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($15,008 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Madison Area Technical College (99% vs. 38%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 240.7% larger than aid received Madison Area Technical College ($18,020 vs. $5,289)

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

Columbia College vs. Madison College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Madison Area Technical College earn on average $400 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($37,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Madison Area Technical College students graduate with a $13,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($13,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Madison College graduates are paying $134 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($134 vs. $268)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Madison College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 46%)

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