Columbia College vs. MIAD

Should I go to Columbia College or Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or MIAD 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 vs. Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design comparison
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Overview

 Columbia College MIAD
Location Columbia, SC Milwaukee, WI
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 1,572 885
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #914
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu miad.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College MIAD
Tuition (In State) $20,650 $40,480
Tuition (Out of State) $20,650 $40,480
Room & Board $8,550 $10,430
Avg Net Price $23,920 $28,024
Avg Grant Aid $13,961 $24,605
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Columbia College MIAD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,163 1,059
Admitted 2,072 665
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 62.8%
Enrolled % 9.8% 30.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/18 20/28
SAT Range 850/1140 940/1140
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 31, 2025

Academics

 Columbia College MIAD
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
  • Communications Technology (7%)
  • Architecture (6%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College MIAD
Graduation Rate 50% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $36,000
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $261 $279

Diversity

 Columbia College MIAD
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 17% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 68%
% Black 34% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 13%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Columbia College MIAD
% In-State 79% 56%
% Out-of-State 16% 44%

Campus

 Columbia College MIAD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College is larger than than MIAD based on total student enrollment (1,572 students vs. 885 students)

Columbia College vs. MIAD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or MIAD?

  • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design is 96% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($40,480.00 vs. $20,650.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96% higher at MIAD than Columbia College ($40,480.00 vs. $20,650.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College than MIAD ($23,920 vs. $28,024)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 22% lower than costs at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design ($8,550 vs. $10,430)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design than Columbia College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students is 76.2% larger than aid received Columbia College ($24,605 vs. $13,961)

Columbia College vs. MIAD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at MIAD (3.08)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than MIAD (62.8%)

Columbia College vs. MIAD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MIAD is higher than Columbia College (57% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design earn on average $1,300 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($36,000 vs. $34,700)
  • Columbia College students graduate with a $1,736 lower median federal student loan debt than MIAD graduates. ($25,264 vs. $27,000)
  • Columbia College graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than MIAD graduates. ($261 vs. $279)
  • More MIAD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 43%)

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