Columbia College vs. SHMS

Deciding between Columbia College Chicago and Sacred Heart Major Seminary? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Columbia College Chicago

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia College Chicago, IL
  • SHMS Detroit, MI
  • Setting
  • Columbia College Large City
  • SHMS Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia College 5,570
  • SHMS 351
  • Type
  • Columbia College Private 4 Year
  • SHMS Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia College -
  • SHMS Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Columbia College Non-profit
  • SHMS Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • SHMS $24,120
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • SHMS $24,120
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia College $20,629
  • SHMS $12,650
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia College $29,473
  • SHMS $6,928
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia College $22,780
  • SHMS $34,987
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia College 100%
  • SHMS 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia College 7,079
  • SHMS 2
  • Admitted
  • Columbia College 6,333
  • SHMS 2
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia College 89.5% Open
  • SHMS 100%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia College 15.1% Open
  • SHMS 100%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia College 3.41
  • SHMS 3.48
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia College B+
  • SHMS B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia College Unavailable
  • SHMS Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia College
  • SHMS
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia College Open admission
  • SHMS Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia College Aug 1, 2027
  • SHMS Aug 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia College 15:1
  • SHMS 7:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia College
    • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Communications Technology (6%)
    • English and Literature (5%)
  • SHMS
    • Theology and Religious Vvocations (64%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies (16%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia College 41%
  • SHMS -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia College $37,300
  • SHMS N/A
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia College 46%
  • SHMS -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia College $26,000
  • SHMS N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia College $268
  • SHMS N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia College 40%
  • SHMS 69%
  • % Women
  • Columbia College 60%
  • SHMS 31%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia College High
  • SHMS High
  • HBCU
  • Columbia College No
  • SHMS No
  • % White
  • Columbia College 55%
  • SHMS 51%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia College 3%
  • SHMS 0%
  • % Black
  • Columbia College 15%
  • SHMS 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia College 11%
  • SHMS 19%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia College 0%
  • SHMS 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia College 0%
  • SHMS 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia College 5%
  • SHMS 0%
  • % International
  • Columbia College 3%
  • SHMS 9%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia College 7%
  • SHMS 19%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia College 54%
  • SHMS 100%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia College 44%
  • SHMS 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Columbia College Yes
  • SHMS Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Columbia College No
  • SHMS No
  • Meal Plan
  • Columbia College Yes
  • SHMS Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Columbia College No
  • SHMS Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Columbia College No
  • SHMS No

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL with Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Columbia College Chicago is larger than SHMS based on total student enrollment (5,570 students vs. 351 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); Sacred Heart Major Seminary is in Detroit, MI (Large City setting).
  • Columbia College Chicago is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College Chicago 15:1; Sacred Heart Major Seminary 7:1.

Columbia College vs. SHMS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or SHMS? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sacred Heart Major Seminary than Columbia College ($6,928 vs. $29,473).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart Major Seminary are 38.7% lower than at Columbia College Chicago ($12,650 vs. $20,629).
  • Columbia College Chicago is 41.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than SHMS (about $9,968 more per year; $34,088.00 vs. $24,120.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 41.3% higher at Columbia College than at Sacred Heart Major Seminary (about $9,968 more per year; $34,088.00 vs. $24,120.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Columbia College Chicago as at Sacred Heart Major Seminary (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart Major Seminary students is 53.6% larger than aid received by Columbia College Chicago students ($34,987 vs. $22,780).

Columbia College vs. SHMS Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or SHMS? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SHMS and Columbia College.

  • Columbia College Chicago reports an open admissions policy.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia College - Open admission; SHMS - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbia College Aug 1, 2027; SHMS Aug 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman SHMS students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Columbia College (3.41).
  • SHMS has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Columbia College (89.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.1% at Columbia College vs. 100% at SHMS.

Columbia College vs. SHMS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia College and SHMS? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.