Columbia College vs. Marian

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

Columbia College Marian
Location Chicago, IL Indianapolis, IN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,646 3,701
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu marian.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Marian
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $37,600
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $37,600
Room & Board $18,000 $12,000
Avg Net Price $28,387 $22,554
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $28,904
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College Marian
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 1,997
Admitted 7,298 1,874
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 93.8%
Enrolled % 22%Open 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.56
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia College Marian
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (55%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Psychology (3%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Marian
Graduation Rate 41% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College Marian
% Men 40% 37%
% Women 60% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 72%
% Black 15% 12%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 4%

Students

Columbia College Marian
% In-State 57% 87%
% Out-of-State 40% 10%

Campus

Columbia College Marian
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 Marian based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 3,701 students)

Columbia College vs. Marian Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Marian?

  • Marian University is 28.5% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($37,600.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.5% higher at Marian than Columbia College Chicago ($37,600.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marian University than Columbia College ($22,554 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marian University are 50% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($12,000 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marian University than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marian University students is 60.4% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($28,904 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. Marian Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Marian students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Columbia College (3.41)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Marian (93.8%)

Columbia College vs. Marian Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Marian is higher than Columbia College Chicago (58% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Marian University earn on average $7,500 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $37,300)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Marian graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Marian graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Marian graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 46%)

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