Columbia College vs. Culinary Institute of America

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Culinary Institute of America? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or Culinary Institute of America is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Columbia College Chicago vs. Culinary Institute of America comparison
Columbia College Chicago Culinary Institute of America College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago Culinary Institute of America
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Overview

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
Location Chicago, IL Hyde Park, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,646 3,124
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu ciachef.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $33,850
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $33,850
Room & Board $18,000 $13,110
Avg Net Price $28,387 $33,499
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $20,215
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 1,887
Admitted 7,298 1,790
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 94.9%
Enrolled % 22%Open 37.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.26
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27
SAT Range 980/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (78%)
  • Business (22%)

Outcomes

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
Graduation Rate 41% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $46,600
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $155

Diversity

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
% Men 40% 50%
% Women 60% 50%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 52%
% Black 15% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 17%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 12%
% Unknown Race 7% 3%

Students

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
% In-State 57% 18%
% Out-of-State 40% 70%

Campus

Columbia College Culinary Institute of America
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than Culinary Institute of America based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 3,124 students)

Columbia College vs. Culinary Institute of America Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or Culinary Institute of America?

  • Culinary Institute of America is 15.6% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($33,850.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.6% higher at Culinary Institute of America than Columbia College Chicago ($33,850.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College Chicago than Culinary Institute of America ($28,387 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Culinary Institute of America are 37.3% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($13,110 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Culinary Institute of America than Columbia College Chicago (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Culinary Institute of America students is 12.2% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($20,215 vs. $18,020)

Columbia College vs. Culinary Institute of America Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or Culinary Institute of America? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Culinary Institute of America or Columbia College .

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Culinary Institute of America (3.26)
  • Culinary Institute of America has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Columbia College (94.8%)

Columbia College vs. Culinary Institute of America Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or Culinary Institute of America? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Culinary Institute of America and Columbia College.

  • Graduates from Culinary Institute of America earn on average $9,300 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($46,600 vs. $37,300)
  • Culinary Institute of America students graduate with a $11,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($15,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Culinary Institute of America graduates are paying $113 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($155 vs. $268)
  • More Culinary Institute of America graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 46%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/