Columbia College vs. SHMS

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Sacred Heart Major Seminary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or SHMS 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Roosevelt University DePaul Huntington University Northern Illinois Emerson Kent State University at East Liverpool Wright State University-Lake Campus MIAD WPI Ithaca College EIU Berklee School of Music
Columbia College Chicago vs. Sacred Heart Major Seminary comparison
Columbia College Chicago Sacred Heart Major Seminary College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Columbia College SHMS
Location Chicago, IL Detroit, MI
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 6,529 357
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu shms.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College SHMS
Tuition (In State) $30,734 $25,440
Tuition (Out of State) $30,734 $25,440
Room & Board $16,838 $12,015
Avg Net Price $29,790 $10,371
Avg Grant Aid $20,851 $29,095
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 50%

Admission

 Columbia College SHMS
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,873 4
Admitted 7,178 4
Acceptance Rate 91.2%Open 100%
Enrolled % 22.4%Open 50%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.48
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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

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

Outcomes

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

Diversity

 Columbia College SHMS
% Men 1% 41%
% Women 2% 6%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 51%
% Black 15% 1%
% Hispanic 11% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 7% 19%

Students

 Columbia College SHMS
% In-State 57% 100%
% Out-of-State 40% 0%

Campus

 Columbia College SHMS
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 SHMS based on total student enrollment (6,529 students vs. 357 students)

Columbia College vs. SHMS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or SHMS?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 20.8% more expensive to attend than SHMS for in-state tuition ($30,734.00 vs. $25,440.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.8% higher at Columbia College than Sacred Heart Major Seminary ($30,734.00 vs. $25,440.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Sacred Heart Major Seminary than Columbia College ($10,371 vs. $29,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart Major Seminary are 40.1% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($12,015 vs. $16,838)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Sacred Heart Major Seminary (99% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart Major Seminary students is 39.5% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($29,095 vs. $20,851)

Columbia College vs. SHMS Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • 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 (91.2%)

Columbia College vs. SHMS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

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