Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Columbia College Chicago Featured Rankings
About Columbia College Chicago
According to Wikipedia, Columbia College Chicago is a private art college in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1890, it has 6,493 students pursuing degrees in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Columbia College Chicago Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7,873 | 89% | 66% | 47% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Columbia College Chicago Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $37,344 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $32,185 |
| 30K - 48K | $32,183 |
| 48K - 75K | $34,435 |
| 75K - 110K | $39,200 |
| 110K+ | $44,486 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Columbia College Chicago Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Columbia College Chicago students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $48,427 a year, and 89% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Columbia College Chicago's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 6,888 | 6,666 | 222 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Columbia College Chicago?
Columbia College Chicago is located at 600 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605-1996.
How Safe is Columbia College Chicago?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Columbia College Chicago publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Columbia College Chicago has a violent crime rate of 0.11% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Chicago has a violent crime rate of 0.54% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 3.49%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Columbia College Chicago Known For?
Columbia College Chicago is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
Columbia College Chicago's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Columbia College Chicago's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Columbia College Chicago ranks #165 in the U.S. and #576 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #180 in the U.S. and #508 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #268 in the U.S. and #1086 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #311 in the U.S. and #1083 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #313 in the U.S. and #878 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #352 in the U.S. and #1500 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #396 in the U.S. and #1387 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #417 in the U.S. and #1527 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesColumbia College Chicago ranks #775 in the U.S. and #3249 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesWho Are Columbia College Chicago's Most Influential Alumni?
Columbia College Chicago's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Literature, Communications, and Social Work. Here are some of Columbia College Chicago's most famous alumni:
- Scott Adsit
- An American stand-up comedian.
- Becky Lynch
- An Irish professional wrestler.
- Anna D. Shapiro
- An American theatre director.
- Pat Sajak
- An American television host.
- Genndy Tartakovsky
- A Russian-American cinema and television animator, director and producer.
- Michelle Monaghan
- An American actress.
- Matt Skiba
- An American musician.
- Rhymefest
- An American hip hop artist.
- Lena Waithe
- An American actress, producer, and screenwriter.
- Larry Heinemann
- An American novelist.
- Aidy Bryant
- An American actress and comedian.
- Sama Alshaibi
- An Iraqi artist.
Who Are Columbia College Chicago's Most Influential Faculty?
Columbia College Chicago's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Literature, Communications, and Social Work. Here are some of Columbia College Chicago's most famous faculty:
