SHU vs. Columbia College

Should I go to Sacred Heart University or Columbia College Chicago? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SHU or Columbia College 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
Sacred Heart University vs. Columbia College Chicago comparison
Sacred Heart University Columbia College Chicago College 3 College 4
Sacred Heart University Columbia College Chicago
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

SHU Columbia College
Location Fairfield, CT Chicago, IL
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 10,721 6,646
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sacredheart.edu colum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SHU Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $46,310 $29,270
Tuition (Out of State) $46,310 $29,270
Room & Board $17,520 $18,000
Avg Net Price $45,280 $28,387
Avg Grant Aid $19,484 $18,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

SHU Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,316 7,701
Admitted 8,750 7,298
Acceptance Rate 65.7% 94.8%Open
Enrolled % 20.3% 22%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

SHU Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

SHU Columbia College
Graduation Rate 68% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,700 $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

SHU Columbia College
% Men 35% 40%
% Women 65% 60%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 55%
% Black 4% 15%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 12% 7%

Students

SHU Columbia College
% In-State 23% 57%
% Out-of-State 75% 40%

Campus

SHU Columbia College
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

  • Sacred Heart University is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 6,646 students)

SHU vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SHU or Columbia College?

  • Sacred Heart University is 58.2% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($46,310.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.2% higher at SHU than Columbia College Chicago ($46,310.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College Chicago than SHU ($28,387 vs. $45,280)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacred Heart University are 2.7% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($17,520 vs. $18,000)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Sacred Heart University as Columbia College Chicago (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Sacred Heart University students is 8.1% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($19,484 vs. $18,020)

SHU vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SHU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Columbia College (3.41)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than SHU (65.7%)

SHU vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at SHU is higher than Columbia College Chicago (68% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Sacred Heart University earn on average $22,400 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($59,700 vs. $37,300)
  • Sacred Heart University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • SHU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More SHU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 46%)

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