Columbia College vs. SIUE

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Southern Illinois University Edwardsville? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or SIUE 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. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville comparison
Columbia College Chicago Southern Illinois University Edwardsville College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
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Overview

Columbia College SIUE
Location Chicago, IL Edwardsville, IL
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,646 12,519
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #506
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu siue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College SIUE
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $9,306
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $9,306
Room & Board $18,000 $10,272
Avg Net Price $28,387 $13,586
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $10,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

Columbia College SIUE
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 9,325
Admitted 7,298 9,093
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 97.5%
Enrolled % 22%Open 20.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.54
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 930/1160
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia College SIUE
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Columbia College SIUE
Graduation Rate 41% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $47,000
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $21,430
Median Loan Payment $268 $221

Diversity

Columbia College SIUE
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 73%
% Black 15% 15%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Columbia College SIUE
% In-State 57% 79%
% Out-of-State 40% 16%

Campus

Columbia College SIUE
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

  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (12,519 students vs. 6,646 students)

Columbia College vs. SIUE Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or SIUE?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 214.5% more expensive to attend than SIUE for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 214.5% higher at Columbia College than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($29,270.00 vs. $9,306.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville than Columbia College ($13,586 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are 75.2% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($10,272 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 69.2% larger than aid received Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ($18,020 vs. $10,649)

Columbia College vs. SIUE Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SIUE students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Columbia College (3.41)
  • SIUE has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than Columbia College (94.8%)

Columbia College vs. SIUE Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SIUE is higher than Columbia College Chicago (52% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn on average $9,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $37,300)
  • Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students graduate with a $4,570 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($21,430 vs. $26,000)
  • SIUE graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($221 vs. $268)
  • More SIUE 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/