Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago incoming freshman academic profile

Average high school GPA

3.432025-26 · CollegeData source

SAT composite middle score

Not reported

ACT composite middle score

Not reported

Average GPA of enrolled freshmen (scale may be weighted or unweighted). SAT/ACT are median scores of students who submitted them — not scholarship cutoffs.

Freshman financial need & merit gifts

2024-25 financial-aid profile · CollegeData source

Average freshman need met

51%

Average undergraduate need met

55%

These groups use different denominators and should not be added together. Need met is an average share of assessed financial need—not a share of tuition or an aid guarantee. The source’s detailed aid table reports 2024-25, although its general page note says 2025-26.

Columbia College Chicago net price by family income

Historical average cost after all grants and scholarships — not need-based aid eligibility. 2024–25 academic year.

Families earning $150,000+ should not assume they'll get need-based grants; the "Over $110K" group mixes very different incomes.

At what family income does financial aid stop at Columbia College Chicago?

There's no universal cutoff. Need-based aid depends on income, assets, family size and college rules; merit scholarships are based on grades and scores, so high income doesn't rule them out. Use Columbia College Chicago's net price calculator for a personal estimate, and the federal aid estimator for federal aid.

Graduation, earnings & student debt

6-year graduation

47.3%Fall 2019 / 2019–20 entering cohort

First-year retention

66%Fall 2023 entering cohort; return in fall 2024

Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry

$48,4272011–12 and 2012–13 entering cohorts; earnings in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars

Median federal debt

$25,000Federal fiscal years 2024 and 2025, pooled

Historical group figures, not individual predictions. Debt excludes private and Parent PLUS loans. Source: College Scorecard (ID 144281).

Colleges with acceptance rates similar to Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago accepts about 75% of applicants. These colleges have the closest reported acceptance rates.

• Loyola University Chicago · Chicago, IL75% acceptance
• Coastal Carolina University · Conway, SC75% acceptance
• University of Detroit Mercy · Detroit, MI75% acceptance
• Alice Lloyd College · Pippa Passes, KY75% acceptance
• Belmont Abbey College · Belmont, NC75% acceptance
• Colegio Universitario de San Juan · San Juan, PR75% acceptance
• ECPI University · Virginia Beach, VA75% acceptance
• Georgia Southwestern State University · Americus, GA75% acceptance
• Gods Bible School and College · Cincinnati, OH75% acceptance
• Hampshire College · Amherst, MA75% acceptance

Colleges with merit aid similar to Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago reports average merit aid of $11,723 per year. These colleges report the closest average non-need-based awards.

• California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA$11,738 avg merit aid / yr
• Michigan Technological University · Houghton, MI$11,688.636 avg merit aid / yr
• University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA$11,666 avg merit aid / yr
• Troy University · Troy, AL$11,585 avg merit aid / yr
• Harvey Mudd College · Claremont, CA$11,875 avg merit aid / yr
• Principia College · Elsah, IL$12,000 avg merit aid / yr
• University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA$12,152 avg merit aid / yr
• Hiram College · Hiram, OH$11,092 avg merit aid / yr
• Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI$11,014 avg merit aid / yr
• Shenandoah University · Winchester, VA$12,583 avg merit aid / yr