How this school serves students from different economic backgrounds, including Pell students, first-generation pathways, and long-term mobility outcomes.
Columbia College Chicago admits about 89.5% of applicants. Among enrolled undergraduates, 46.0% receive Pell Grants and 24.9% are first-generation college students. The institution's student body reflects Chicago's diversity, with transfer enrollment representing a meaningful share of the undergraduate population. The six-year graduation rate stands at 51.5%, with 50.4% of Pell-eligible students completing within the same window. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #331 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects Columbia College's enrollment of a substantial share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students on a campus where arts-focused study shapes the student experience. Retention of first-year students is 66.0%, indicating steady engagement with the institution's distinctive curriculum. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $34,800 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 7.7 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #818 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects both the institution's broad access to low-income and first-generation students and the earnings outcomes those graduates achieve. For many students pursuing careers in visual and performing arts, the pathway from Columbia College leads to creative work in Chicago's robust cultural economy and beyond, where earnings reflect both artistic and commercial opportunity.
Columbia College Chicago admits about 89.5% of applicants. Among enrolled undergraduates, 46.0% receive Pell Grants and 24.9% are first-generation college students. The institution's student body reflects Chicago's diversity, with transfer enrollment representing a meaningful share of the undergraduate population. The six-year graduation rate stands at 51.5%, with 50.4% of Pell-eligible students completing within the same window. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #331 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects Columbia College's enrollment of a substantial share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students on a campus where arts-focused study shapes the student experience. Retention of first-year students is 66.0%, indicating steady engagement with the institution's distinctive curriculum. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $34,800 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 7.7 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #818 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects both the institution's broad access to low-income and first-generation students and the earnings outcomes those graduates achieve. For many students pursuing careers in visual and performing arts, the pathway from Columbia College leads to creative work in Chicago's robust cultural economy and beyond, where earnings reflect both artistic and commercial opportunity.
Columbia College Chicago admits about 89.5% of applicants. Among enrolled undergraduates, 46.0% receive Pell Grants and 24.9% are first-generation college students. The institution's student body reflects Chicago's diversity, with transfer enrollment representing a meaningful share of the undergraduate population. The six-year graduation rate stands at 51.5%, with 50.4% of Pell-eligible students completing within the same window. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #331 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects Columbia College's enrollment of a substantial share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students on a campus where arts-focused study shapes the student experience. Retention of first-year students is 66.0%, indicating steady engagement with the institution's distinctive curriculum. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $34,800 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Columbia College Chicago in the 7.7 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Columbia College Chicago #818 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects both the institution's broad access to low-income and first-generation students and the earnings outcomes those graduates achieve. For many students pursuing careers in visual and performing arts, the pathway from Columbia College leads to creative work in Chicago's robust cultural economy and beyond, where earnings reflect both artistic and commercial opportunity.
