Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago is a private, nonprofit school located in the urban setting of Chicago, IL, less than an hour from Chicago.

Founded in 1890, Columbia College Chicago currently enrolls around 6,769 students a year, including 6,542 undergrads. The institution runs on a semester academic calendar.

Admissions Facts About Columbia College Chicago

Acceptance rate: 90%

Average GPA: 3.42

Does not offer early decision.

Doesn't offer early action.

Get ready! The 2022 regular decision application deadline for Columbia College Chicago is August 15

All regular decision applicants should hear back November 1.

Access ACT practice tests and study tips and see upcoming ACT test dates.

What is Columbia College Chicago's acceptance rate?

Admission to Columbia College Chicago is slightly difficult. Columbia College Chicago accepts around 90 percent of applicants each year. Last year, 8,061 students applied to Columbia College Chicago and 7,217 were admitted.

The average high school GPA for a student at Columbia College Chicago is 3.42 /4.0.

Is Columbia College Chicago a good school?

Different people have different ideas about what makes a "good" school. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how competitive a school is, but they don't tell you how happy or successful students are.

Retention, graduation rates, and job placement statistics can help you understand how satisfied students are with their school experience, and how effectively an institution prepares students for careers.

Retention and graduation rates

Out of the 1,787 students who started at Columbia College Chicago as first-time freshman, 746 graduate within four years.

Around 50 percent of students who started at Columbia College Chicago earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61 percent for public schools and 67 percent for private.

Job outcomes and student debt

Job placement and student debt statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers. Students in the class of 2021 who had taken out student loans graduated with an average of $9,805 of debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

Based on this information, how does Columbia College Chicago sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may be a terrible fit for another! So the real question to ask yourself: is Columbia College Chicago a good school for YOU?

Is Columbia College Chicago on your list?

Click the heart icon at the top of this page to save Columbia College Chicago to your own personal list of colleges.

Columbia College Chicago's application deadline is August 1. All applicants will be notified by November 1.

Read on to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Still researching colleges?

Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about Columbia College Chicago and get personalized recommendations for colleges and universities that offer what you're looking for in a school.

See a list of other colleges in IL and use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting into some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S.