Columbia College vs. WPI

Deciding between Columbia College Chicago and Worcester Polytechnic Institute? 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
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia College Chicago, IL
  • WPI Worcester, MA
  • Setting
  • Columbia College Large City
  • WPI Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia College 5,570
  • WPI 7,584
  • Type
  • Columbia College Private 4 Year
  • WPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia College
  • WPI
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia College -
  • WPI -
  • Status
  • Columbia College Non-profit
  • WPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia College
  • WPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • WPI $60,965
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • WPI $60,965
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia College $20,629
  • WPI $18,386
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia College $29,473
  • WPI $47,372
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia College $22,780
  • WPI $31,545
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia College 100%
  • WPI 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia College 7,079
  • WPI 12,559
  • Admitted
  • Columbia College 6,333
  • WPI 7,555
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia College 89.5% Open
  • WPI 60.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia College 15.1% Open
  • WPI 18.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia College
  • WPI
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia College
  • WPI
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia College 3.41
  • WPI 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia College B+
  • WPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia College Unavailable
  • WPI Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia College
  • WPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia College
  • WPI
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia College
  • WPI
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia College Open admission
  • WPI Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia College Aug 1, 2027
  • WPI Feb 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia College 15:1
  • WPI 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia College
    • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Communications Technology (6%)
    • English and Literature (5%)
  • WPI
    • Engineering (61%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • General Studies (5%)
    • Business (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia College 41%
  • WPI 76%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia College $37,300
  • WPI $82,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia College 46%
  • WPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia College $26,000
  • WPI $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia College $268
  • WPI $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia College 40%
  • WPI 68%
  • % Women
  • Columbia College 60%
  • WPI 32%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia College High
  • WPI Medium
  • HBCU
  • Columbia College No
  • WPI No
  • % White
  • Columbia College 55%
  • WPI 63%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia College 3%
  • WPI 5%
  • % Black
  • Columbia College 15%
  • WPI 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia College 11%
  • WPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia College 0%
  • WPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia College 0%
  • WPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia College 5%
  • WPI 3%
  • % International
  • Columbia College 3%
  • WPI 12%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia College 7%
  • WPI 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia College 54%
  • WPI 48%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia College 44%
  • WPI 48%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (7,584 students vs. 5,570 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); Worcester Polytechnic Institute is in Worcester, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • Columbia College Chicago is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College Chicago 15:1; Worcester Polytechnic Institute 13:1.

Columbia College vs. WPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or WPI? 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 Columbia College Chicago than WPI ($29,473 vs. $47,372).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are 10.9% lower than at Columbia College Chicago ($18,386 vs. $20,629).
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 78.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbia College (about $26,877 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $34,088.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 78.8% higher at WPI than at Columbia College Chicago (about $26,877 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $34,088.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Columbia College Chicago as at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 38.5% larger than aid received by Columbia College Chicago students ($31,545 vs. $22,780).

Columbia College vs. WPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or WPI? 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 WPI and Columbia College.

  • Columbia College Chicago reports an open admissions policy.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia College - Open admission; WPI - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbia College Aug 1, 2027; WPI Feb 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Columbia College (3.41).
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than WPI (60.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.1% at Columbia College vs. 18.1% at WPI.

Columbia College vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia College and WPI? 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).

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Columbia College Chicago's (41%).
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $45,400 more per year than Columbia College graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,700 vs. $37,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Columbia College Chicago graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than WPI graduates ($26,000 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Columbia College graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WPI graduates ($268 vs. $279).
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 46%)

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.