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Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL · City · 5,368 students
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$26,598
Average net priceYour net price
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
50%
Graduation rate
52% typical
$42,195
Earnings 10 years on
$51,562 typical
89%
Acceptance rate
81% typical · not scored
Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
About

Columbia College Chicago is a private creative arts institution located in the heart of Chicago’s South Loop, widely recognized for its top-tier programs in cinema and television arts, music business, game design, animation, and the performing arts. The college sets itself apart with a "hands-first" philosophy taught by industry-active faculty, encouraging students to begin creating professional-grade work and building their portfolios from their very first semester. Campus culture is vibrant, progressive, and deeply collaborative, offering an immersive urban experience where the city’s rich media and cultural landscape functions as an everyday classroom and launchpad for creative careers.


Wikipedia:Columbia College Chicago (CCC) is a private art college in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1890, it has 4,200 students pursuing degrees in more than 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Location
Chicago, IL, 60605-1996 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
MDW · Chicago Midway
9 mi away
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$34,088
Housing & food (on campus)$20,629
Books & supplies$1,900
Cost of attendance$51,889
Average net price$26,598
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$34,088
Housing & food (on campus)$20,629
Books & supplies$1,900
Cost of attendance$51,889
Average net price$26,598
Net price by family income
$0–30k
$20,924
$30–48k
$21,423
$48–75k
$25,590
$75–110k
$31,677
$110k+
$36,436
Grants from the school
100% of first-years get a grant from the school, averaging $16,131
Source: College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS)
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
50%
Within 4 yrs
42%
Back for yr 2
66%
Transferred
29%
Pell students: 46.5% · others: 54.2% 
8 yrs after starting
49% graduated · 31% transferred · 19% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings
6 yrs after entry$32,596
10 yrs after entry$42,195
Debt
Median at graduation$25,000
Monthly payment$265
Middle 50% owe$9.5k–$27.5k
90th percentile$37,215
Admissions
Getting in
Admit rate
89%
Test policy
Not required
Admitted students
Admit rate: men 86.7% · women 91.1% 
Yield: 15.1% of admitted students enroll 

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Essay prompts

If Columbia College Chicago asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 40%Women 60%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
15 : 1
Pell grant
46%
First-gen
25%
Family income
$49,117
Independent
13%
Veterans
0%
Age at entry
21.0
Part-time
4%
Where first-years come from
In state (IL)
53.7%
Out of state
43.8%
International
2.4%

Most out-of-state first-years from: IN 42 · WI 40 · MI 31 · TX 28 · CA 27

Race & ethnicity
White
40%
Hispanic
28%
Black
19%
Asian
4%
Two or more
5%
Non-resident
4%
Unknown
1%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs
After 6 yrs
$32,596
After 10 yrs
$42,195
Design and Applied Arts258
Graphic Communications212
Film/Video and Photographic Arts162
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft140
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management90
Music53
Fine and Studio Arts52
Marketing47
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies46
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication42
Physics30
Journalism27
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication27
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians24
Communication and Media Studies20
American Sign Language19
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$192M
Full-time faculty
37%
Faculty salary
$9,323/mo
Teaching spend
$10,551
per student
Federal loans
56%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (medium programs)
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

Wondering if Columbia College Chicago is the right fit for you?

omhu builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

Personalized reach / match / safety list
Financial aid & net cost estimates
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