Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #1116 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,590 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 21.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #818 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions — reflecting outcomes for a student population with substantial Pell Grant and first-generation enrollment. --- Columbia College Chicago's composite ranking reflects its balance of access and mobility working together, serving a diverse student population through its arts-focused curriculum. The institution's earnings performance exceeds expectations for similar students at comparable institutions, particularly in creative fields.
Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #1116 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private master's university in Chicago, IL, Columbia College Chicago enrolls roughly 5,368 undergraduates. The institution maintains a 66.0% freshman retention rate and a 51.5% six-year graduation rate. Columbia College Chicago is specializes in its specialized focus on visual and performing arts education. The dominant program family — Visual & Performing Arts — shapes the institution's identity and career outcomes. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $47,092, and Columbia College Chicago sits in the 21.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #1234 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and affordability represent areas where Columbia College Chicago sits lower in the composite. The institution enrolls 46.0% Pell-eligible students and 24.9% first-generation undergraduates, placing it in the 77.7 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 15.1 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting the tuition structure typical of specialized arts institutions. Mobility outcomes place Columbia College Chicago in the 44.6 percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Columbia College Chicago's published cost of attendance is $51,889. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $20,924, middle-income families pay around $25,590, and higher-income families pay approximately $36,436. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #1210 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Columbia College Chicago participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Need-based aid is the primary form of institutional support; families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The institution's aid structure aims to meet demonstrated financial need, though the depth of aid varies by income level and individual circumstances. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $55,700; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $47,092, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Columbia College Chicago is a strong fit for students drawn to the visual and performing arts who want a private arts-focused college experience in Chicago, IL. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $47,092, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 8.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. They also earn about $9,590 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 21.7 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 46.0% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 24.9% are first-generation — and delivers mobility outcomes that place Columbia College Chicago in the 7.7 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 89.5% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors arts-oriented fields over applied-professional ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find the earnings trajectory and aid package among the strongest in the country.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
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This is the Columbia College Chicago hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
28 graduates
Marketing
33 graduates
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
54 graduates
Journalism
25 graduates
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
87 graduates
Columbia College Chicago's program mix is anchored in Visual & Performing Arts, media production, and creative technology — a portfolio shaped by the institution's identity as a specialized arts and media college in a major creative hub. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 239 graduates, followed by Graphic Communications, Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, and Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management.
Across ranked programs serving roughly 1,262 students annually, the institution's strength concentrates in creative and media-adjacent fields where four-year earnings reflect direct labor-market outcomes. The earnings pattern reflects Columbia's positioning as a specialized creative institution.
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates earn median four-year earnings of $54,357, the highest at the institution, while Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management graduates earn $50,592 and Design and Applied Arts graduates earn $48,601. Design and Applied Arts combines substantial cohort scale with median four-year earnings of $48,601, anchoring the institution's economic profile.
The concentration of graduates in creative and media fields — including Graphic Communications, Film/Video and Photographic Arts, and Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft — reflects Columbia's distinctive program portfolio and employer relationships in Chicago's media and entertainment sectors. These programs represent high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the creative workforce directly, with earnings reflecting national and regional labor-market demand for media, design, and performance professionals.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Columbia College Chicago's published cost of attendance is $51,889. Net price by income band reflects the institution's need-based aid structure: low-income families pay approximately $20,924, middle-income families pay around $25,590, and higher-income families pay approximately $36,436.
Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #1210 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Columbia College Chicago participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional aid programs. Need-based aid is the primary form of institutional support; families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
The institution's aid structure aims to meet demonstrated financial need, though the depth of aid varies by income level and individual circumstances. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $55,700; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $47,092, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn median 4-year earnings of $47,092, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 8.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $9,590 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 21.7 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #1234 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Columbia College Chicago's concentration in visual and performing arts.
Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 239 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $48,601, and Azimuth ranks the program 0.9x the national benchmark for the field [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/). The Graphic Communications program graduates 209 students earning $43,970, while Film/Video and Photographic Arts and Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft round out the top programs with 176 and 144 graduates respectively.
The institution's program portfolio emphasizes creative fields where early-career earnings vary widely by specialization and market demand, and Columbia College Chicago's outcomes reflect both the creative economy's opportunities and the importance of major choice within the arts.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Mount Union Similar quality tier in Midwest (#30595 ranked) | OH | 78% | $53,217 | #30595 | Compare |
Skidmore College Similar quality tier (#30593 ranked) | NY | 21% | $69,363 | #30593 | Compare |
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) Similar quality tier (#30599 ranked) | MA | 68% | $67,725 | #30599 | Compare |
Elizabethtown College Similar quality tier (#30585 ranked) | PA | 78% | $62,399 | #30585 | Compare |
Hobart William Smith Colleges Similar quality tier (#30584 ranked) | NY | 64% | $68,831 | #30584 | Compare |
