Columbia College vs. National College-Lexington

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

 Columbia College National College-Lexington
Location Chicago, IL Lexington, KY
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,646 296
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit For-profit
Website colum.edu national-college.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College National College-Lexington
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $10,314
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $10,314
Room & Board $18,000 $5,856
Avg Net Price $28,387 $15,782
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $5,780
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 67%

Admission

 Columbia College National College-Lexington
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 National College-Lexington
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (68%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Engineering Technology (2%)
  • Communications Technology (2%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College National College-Lexington
Graduation Rate 41% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $21,900
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 14%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $29,101
Median Loan Payment $268 $300

Diversity

 Columbia College National College-Lexington
% Men 40% 16%
% Women 60% 84%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 50%
% Black 15% 36%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 9%

Students

 Columbia College National College-Lexington
% In-State 57% 40%
% Out-of-State 40% 60%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than National College-Lexington based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 296 students)

Columbia College vs. National College-Lexington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or National College-Lexington?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 183.8% more expensive to attend than National College-Lexington for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $10,314.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 183.8% higher at Columbia College than National College Lexington ($29,270.00 vs. $10,314.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at National College Lexington than Columbia College ($15,782 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at National College Lexington are 207.4% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($5,856 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than National College Lexington (99% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 211.8% larger than aid received National College Lexington ($18,020 vs. $5,780)

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

Columbia College vs. National College-Lexington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or National College-Lexington? 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 National College-Lexington and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at National College-Lexington is higher than Columbia College Chicago (50% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Columbia College Chicago earn on average $15,400 more per year than National College-Lexington graduates after ten years. ($37,300 vs. $21,900)
  • Columbia College Chicago students graduate with a $3,101 lower median federal student loan debt than National College-Lexington graduates. ($26,000 vs. $29,101)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than National College-Lexington graduates. ($268 vs. $300)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former National College-Lexington students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 14%)

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