Columbia College vs. KWC

Deciding between Columbia College Chicago and Kentucky Wesleyan 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
Kentucky Wesleyan College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Columbia College Chicago, IL
  • KWC Owensboro, KY
  • Setting
  • Columbia College Large City
  • KWC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Columbia College 5,570
  • KWC 887
  • Type
  • Columbia College Private 4 Year
  • KWC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Columbia College
  • KWC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Columbia College -
  • KWC United Methodist
  • Status
  • Columbia College Non-profit
  • KWC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Columbia College
  • KWC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • KWC $34,673
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Columbia College $34,088
  • KWC $34,673
  • Room & Board
  • Columbia College $20,629
  • KWC $11,855
  • Average Net Price
  • Columbia College $29,473
  • KWC $20,999
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Columbia College $22,780
  • KWC $25,538
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Columbia College 100%
  • KWC 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Columbia College 7,079
  • KWC 2,113
  • Admitted
  • Columbia College 6,333
  • KWC 1,513
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Columbia College 89.5% Open
  • KWC 71.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Columbia College 15.1% Open
  • KWC 17.7%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Columbia College
  • KWC 1010
  • Typical ACT score
  • Columbia College
  • KWC 19
  • Average High School GPA
  • Columbia College 3.41
  • KWC 3.3
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Columbia College B+
  • KWC B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Columbia College Unavailable
  • KWC Extremely Easy
  • Applicant Competition
  • Columbia College
  • KWC Low
  • ACT Range
  • Columbia College
  • KWC 16/23
  • SAT Range
  • Columbia College
  • KWC 890/1130
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Columbia College Open admission
  • KWC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Columbia College Aug 1, 2027
  • KWC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Columbia College 15:1
  • KWC 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Columbia College
    • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
    • Communication (12%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Communications Technology (6%)
    • English and Literature (5%)
  • KWC
    • Education (18%)
    • Business (18%)
    • Biology (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Columbia College 41%
  • KWC 44%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Columbia College $37,300
  • KWC $38,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Columbia College 46%
  • KWC 54%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Columbia College $26,000
  • KWC $22,907
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Columbia College $268
  • KWC $236

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Columbia College 40%
  • KWC 50%
  • % Women
  • Columbia College 60%
  • KWC 50%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Columbia College High
  • KWC Low
  • HBCU
  • Columbia College No
  • KWC No
  • % White
  • Columbia College 55%
  • KWC 73%
  • % Asian
  • Columbia College 3%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Black
  • Columbia College 15%
  • KWC 15%
  • % Hispanic
  • Columbia College 11%
  • KWC 1%
  • % Native American
  • Columbia College 0%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Columbia College 0%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Columbia College 5%
  • KWC 0%
  • % International
  • Columbia College 3%
  • KWC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Columbia College 7%
  • KWC 9%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Columbia College 54%
  • KWC 56%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Columbia College 44%
  • KWC 38%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College Chicago in Chicago, IL with Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, KY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Columbia College Chicago is larger than KWC based on total student enrollment (5,570 students vs. 887 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Columbia College Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); Kentucky Wesleyan College is in Owensboro, KY (Small City setting).
  • Columbia College Chicago is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College Chicago 15:1; Kentucky Wesleyan College 15:1.

Columbia College vs. KWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia College or KWC? 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 Kentucky Wesleyan College than Columbia College ($20,999 vs. $29,473).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kentucky Wesleyan College are 42.5% lower than at Columbia College Chicago ($11,855 vs. $20,629).
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 1.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbia College (about $585 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $34,088.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.7% higher at KWC than at Columbia College Chicago (about $585 more per year; $34,673.00 vs. $34,088.00).
  • The same share of students receive grant aid at Columbia College Chicago as at Kentucky Wesleyan College (100% vs. 100%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 12.1% larger than aid received by Columbia College Chicago students ($25,538 vs. $22,780).

Columbia College vs. KWC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College or KWC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between KWC and Columbia College.

  • Columbia College Chicago reports an open admissions policy.
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresKentucky Wesleyan College 890/1130.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresKentucky Wesleyan College 16/23.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia College - Open admission; KWC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Columbia College Aug 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman Columbia College students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at KWC (3.3).
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than KWC (71.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.1% at Columbia College vs. 17.7% at KWC.

Columbia College vs. KWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia College and KWC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College's six-year graduation rate (44%) is higher than Columbia College Chicago's (41%).
  • Graduates from Kentucky Wesleyan College earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than Columbia College graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,500 vs. $37,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Kentucky Wesleyan College graduates have a $3,093 lower median loan debt than Columbia College graduates ($22,907 vs. $26,000).
  • Among borrowers, KWC graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Columbia College graduates ($236 vs. $268).
  • More KWC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (54% 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.