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ISU Southern Illinois University UIC Western Illinois University DePaul Roosevelt University Illinois WMU EIU Bradley University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Loyola| Columbia College Chicago | Northern Illinois University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Dekalb, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 6,646 | 15,649 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #454 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colum.edu | niu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $29,270 | $9,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $29,270 | $9,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,000 | $11,420 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $28,387 | $13,884 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $18,020 | $12,552 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 99% |
Admission |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,701 | 25,961 | ||
| Admitted | 7,298 | 18,348 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 94.8%Open | 70.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22%Open | 13.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | |||
| SAT Range | 940/1170 | |||
| 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 | Northern Illinois | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Graduation Rate | 41% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,300 | $47,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 46% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $23,859 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $246 |
Diversity |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 55% | 57% | ||
| % Black | 15% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 3% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 1% |
Students |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 57% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 40% | 5% | ||
Campus |
Columbia College | Northern Illinois | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Illinois University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (15,649 students vs. 6,646 students)
Columbia College vs. Northern Illinois Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Northern Illinois?
- Columbia College Chicago is 199% more expensive to attend than Northern Illinois for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- Out of state tuition is 199% higher at Columbia College than Northern Illinois University ($29,270.00 vs. $9,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Illinois University than Columbia College ($13,884 vs. $28,387)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Illinois University are 57.6% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($11,420 vs. $18,000)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago as Northern Illinois University (99% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 43.6% larger than aid received Northern Illinois University ($18,020 vs. $12,552)
Columbia College vs. Northern Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or Northern Illinois? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Northern Illinois or Columbia College .
- Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Northern Illinois (3.3)
- Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than Northern Illinois (70.7%)
Columbia College vs. Northern Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Columbia College or Northern Illinois? 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 Northern Illinois and Columbia College.
- The graduation rate at Northern Illinois is higher than Columbia College Chicago (56% vs. 41%)
- Graduates from Northern Illinois University earn on average $10,300 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $37,300)
- Northern Illinois University students graduate with a $2,141 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($23,859 vs. $26,000)
- Northern Illinois graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
- More Northern Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 46%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/