Columbia College vs. UW-Stout

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

 Columbia College UW-Stout
Location Chicago, IL Menomonie, WI
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 6,529 6,951
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #743
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu uwstout.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College UW-Stout
Tuition (In State) $30,734 $7,330
Tuition (Out of State) $30,734 $15,894
Room & Board $16,838 $8,718
Avg Net Price $29,790 $15,574
Avg Grant Aid $20,851 $4,384
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 54%

Admission

 Columbia College UW-Stout
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,873 6,440
Admitted 7,178 5,457
Acceptance Rate 91.2%Open 84.7%
Enrolled % 22.4%Open 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.35
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
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, 2025 Sep 1, 2024

Academics

 Columbia College UW-Stout
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (43%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College UW-Stout
Graduation Rate 41% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $47,000
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $263

Diversity

 Columbia College UW-Stout
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 2% 9%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 87%
% Black 15% 2%
% Hispanic 11% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

 Columbia College UW-Stout
% In-State 57% 58%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

 Columbia College UW-Stout
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

  • University of Wisconsin Stout is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (6,951 students vs. 6,529 students)

Columbia College vs. UW-Stout Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or UW-Stout?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 319.3% more expensive to attend than UW-Stout for in-state tuition ($30,734.00 vs. $7,330.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 93.4% higher at Columbia College than University of Wisconsin Stout ($30,734.00 vs. $15,894.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Stout than Columbia College ($15,574 vs. $29,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Stout are 93.1% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($8,718 vs. $16,838)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than University of Wisconsin Stout (99% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 375.6% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Stout ($20,851 vs. $4,384)

Columbia College vs. UW-Stout Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at UW-Stout (3.35)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (91.2%) than UW-Stout (84.7%)

Columbia College vs. UW-Stout Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or UW-Stout? 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 UW-Stout and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Stout is higher than Columbia College Chicago (53% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Stout earn on average $9,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($47,000 vs. $37,300)
  • University of Wisconsin Stout students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($25,500 vs. $26,000)
  • UW-Stout graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($263 vs. $268)
  • More UW-Stout graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 46%)

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