USD vs. Columbia College

Should I go to University of San Diego or Columbia College Chicago? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USD or Columbia College 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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University of San Diego vs. Columbia College Chicago comparison
University of San Diego Columbia College Chicago College 3 College 4
University of San Diego Columbia College Chicago
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Overview

USD Columbia College
Location San Diego, CA Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 8,815 6,646
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sandiego.edu colum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD Columbia College
Tuition (In State) $53,810 $29,270
Tuition (Out of State) $53,810 $29,270
Room & Board $17,010 $18,000
Avg Net Price $36,008 $28,387
Avg Grant Aid $36,408 $18,020
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 99%

Admission

USD Columbia College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,334 7,701
Admitted 7,541 7,298
Acceptance Rate 52.6% 94.8%Open
Enrolled % 16.4% 22%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.41
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

USD Columbia College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (63%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communications Technology (6%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

USD Columbia College
Graduation Rate 75% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,200 $37,300
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,904 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $236 $268

Diversity

USD Columbia College
% Men 43% 40%
% Women 57% 60%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 55%
% Black 3% 15%
% Hispanic 19% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 7% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

USD Columbia College
% In-State 55% 57%
% Out-of-State 40% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of San Diego is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (8,815 students vs. 6,646 students)

USD vs. Columbia College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or Columbia College?

  • University of San Diego is 83.8% more expensive to attend than Columbia College for in-state tuition ($53,810.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.8% higher at USD than Columbia College Chicago ($53,810.00 vs. $29,270.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia College Chicago than USD ($28,387 vs. $36,008)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Diego are 5.8% lower than costs at Columbia College Chicago ($17,010 vs. $18,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia College Chicago than University of San Diego (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 102% larger than aid received Columbia College Chicago ($36,408 vs. $18,020)

USD vs. Columbia College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Columbia College (3.41)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than USD (52.6%)

USD vs. Columbia College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USD or Columbia College? 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 Columbia College and USD.

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than Columbia College Chicago (75% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of San Diego earn on average $32,900 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($70,200 vs. $37,300)
  • University of San Diego students graduate with a $3,096 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($22,904 vs. $26,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($236 vs. $268)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 46%)

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