Columbia College vs. MIAD

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or MIAD 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. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design comparison
Columbia College Chicago Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago
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Overview

Columbia College MIAD
Location Chicago, IL Milwaukee, WI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,646 896
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu miad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College MIAD
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $39,380
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $39,380
Room & Board $18,000 $9,950
Avg Net Price $28,387 $25,472
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $26,216
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College MIAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 1,052
Admitted 7,298 673
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 64%
Enrolled % 22%Open 32.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
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 31, 2025

Academics

Columbia College MIAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communications Technology (7%)
  • Architecture (6%)

Outcomes

Columbia College MIAD
Graduation Rate 41% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $36,000
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

Columbia College MIAD
% Men 40% 22%
% Women 60% 78%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 68%
% Black 15% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

Columbia College MIAD
% In-State 57% 52%
% Out-of-State 40% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than MIAD based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 896 students)

Columbia College vs. MIAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or MIAD?

  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is 34.5% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($39,380.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.5% higher at MIAD than Columbia College Chicago ($39,380.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design than Columbia College ($25,472 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design are 80.9% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($9,950 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students is 45.5% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($26,216 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. MIAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at MIAD (3.08)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than MIAD (64%)

Columbia College vs. MIAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MIAD is higher than Columbia College Chicago (57% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College Chicago earn on average $1,300 more per year than MIAD graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $36,000)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than MIAD graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than MIAD graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More MIAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 46%)

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