Columbia College vs. IU Northwest

Should I go to Columbia College Chicago or Indiana University Northwest? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia College or IU Northwest 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. Indiana University Northwest comparison
Columbia College Chicago Indiana University Northwest College 3 College 4
Columbia College Chicago Indiana University Northwest
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Overview

 Columbia College IU Northwest
Location Chicago, IL Gary, IN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 6,646 3,198
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colum.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College IU Northwest
Tuition (In State) $29,270 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $29,270 $20,634
Room & Board $18,000 $9,412
Avg Net Price $28,387 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $18,020 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 80%

Admission

 Columbia College IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,701 1,915
Admitted 7,298 1,538
Acceptance Rate 94.8%Open 80.3%
Enrolled % 22%Open 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25
SAT Range 950/1170
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 IU Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 41% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

 Columbia College IU Northwest
% Men 40% 25%
% Women 60% 75%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 55%
% Black 15% 18%
% Hispanic 11% 20%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Columbia College IU Northwest
% In-State 57% 97%
% Out-of-State 40% 2%

Campus

 Columbia College IU Northwest
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia College Chicago is larger than than IU Northwest based on total student enrollment (6,646 students vs. 3,198 students)

Columbia College vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or IU Northwest?

  • Columbia College Chicago is 302.4% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($29,270.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.9% higher at Columbia College than Indiana University Northwest ($29,270.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than Columbia College ($6,553 vs. $28,387)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Northwest are 91.2% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($9,412 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than Indiana University Northwest (99% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College Chicago students is 105.8% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($18,020 vs. $8,754)

Columbia College vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at IU Northwest (3.14)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than IU Northwest (80.3%)

Columbia College vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College or IU Northwest? 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 IU Northwest and Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than Indiana University Northwest (41% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Northwest earn on average $2,200 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($39,500 vs. $37,300)
  • Indiana University Northwest students graduate with a $970 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($25,030 vs. $26,000)
  • IU Northwest graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Columbia College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 33%)

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