Columbia College vs. AQ

Deciding between Columbia College Chicago and Aquinas College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Columbia College Chicago
Aquinas College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia College Chicago, IL
  • AQ Grand Rapids, MI
  • Setting
  • Columbia College Large City
  • AQ Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia College 5,570
  • AQ 1,157
  • Type
  • Columbia College Private 4 Year
  • AQ Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia College
  • AQ #753
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia College -
  • AQ Roman Catholic
  • Status
  • Columbia College Non-profit
  • AQ Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia College
  • AQ

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • AQ $40,218
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • AQ $40,218
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia College $20,629
  • AQ $11,680
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia College $29,473
  • AQ $18,018
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia College $22,780
  • AQ $33,535
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia College 100%
  • AQ 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia College 7,079
  • AQ 2,193
  • Admitted
  • Columbia College 6,333
  • AQ 1,971
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia College 89.5% Open
  • AQ 89.9%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia College 15.1% Open
  • AQ 11.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia College
  • AQ 1030
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia College
  • AQ 23
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia College 3.41
  • AQ 3.52
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia College B+
  • AQ A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia College Unavailable
  • AQ Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia College
  • AQ
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia College
  • AQ 20/26
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia College
  • AQ 910/1140
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia College Open admission
  • AQ Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia College Aug 1, 2027
  • AQ

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia College 15:1
  • AQ 10:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia College
    • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Communications Technology (6%)
    • English and Literature (5%)
  • AQ
    • Business (15%)
    • Social Sciences (11%)
    • Education (9%)
    • Psychology (7%)
    • Biology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia College 41%
  • AQ 52%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia College $37,300
  • AQ $40,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia College 46%
  • AQ 60%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia College $26,000
  • AQ $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia College $268
  • AQ $268

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia College 40%
  • AQ 47%
  • % Women
  • Columbia College 60%
  • AQ 53%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia College High
  • AQ Very Low
  • HBCU
  • Columbia College No
  • AQ No
  • % White
  • Columbia College 55%
  • AQ 82%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia College 3%
  • AQ 1%
  • % Black
  • Columbia College 15%
  • AQ 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia College 11%
  • AQ 6%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia College 0%
  • AQ 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia College 0%
  • AQ 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia College 5%
  • AQ 3%
  • % International
  • Columbia College 3%
  • AQ 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia College 7%
  • AQ 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia College 54%
  • AQ 87%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia College 44%
  • AQ 10%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Columbia College Yes
  • AQ Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Columbia College No
  • AQ No
  • Meal Plan
  • Columbia College Yes
  • AQ Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Columbia College No
  • AQ Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Columbia College No
  • AQ No

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL with Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Columbia College Chicago is larger than AQ based on total student enrollment (5,570 students vs. 1,157 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); Aquinas College is in Grand Rapids, MI (Midsize City setting).
  • Columbia College Chicago is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Aquinas College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College Chicago 15:1; Aquinas College 10:1.

Columbia College vs. AQ Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or AQ? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Aquinas College than Columbia College ($18,018 vs. $29,473).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aquinas College are 43.4% lower than at Columbia College Chicago ($11,680 vs. $20,629).
  • Aquinas College is 18% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbia College (about $6,130 more per year; $40,218.00 vs. $34,088.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 18% higher at AQ than at Columbia College Chicago (about $6,130 more per year; $40,218.00 vs. $34,088.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Columbia College Chicago as at Aquinas College (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Aquinas College students is 47.2% larger than aid received by Columbia College Chicago students ($33,535 vs. $22,780).

Columbia College vs. AQ Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or AQ? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between AQ and Columbia College.

  • Columbia College Chicago reports an open admissions policy.
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsAquinas College 910/1140.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsAquinas College 20/26.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia College - Open admission; AQ - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbia College Aug 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman AQ students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Columbia College (3.41).
  • AQ has a higher acceptance rate (89.9%) than Columbia College (89.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.1% at Columbia College vs. 11.8% at AQ.

Columbia College vs. AQ Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia College and AQ? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Aquinas College's six-year graduation rate (52%) is higher than Columbia College Chicago's (41%).
  • Graduates from Aquinas College earn a median of about $2,700 more per year than Columbia College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,000 vs. $37,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Aquinas College and Columbia College graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,000 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Aquinas College and Columbia College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($268 vs. $268).
  • More AQ graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.