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Academics

Columbia College Chicago
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Columbia College Chicago?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

15:1
Student to faculty ratio
20
Average class size
39%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Columbia Chicago has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
140
10-19
725
20-29
507
30-39
47
40-49
13
50-99
18
100+
6

Honors Programs

Columbia College Chicago has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Columbia Chicago's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Columbia College Chicago:

64%
First-year retention rate
39%
4-year grad rate
49%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Columbia College Chicago's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
Graphic Design
Fashion/Apparel Design
Music Management
21.2
59.36
97.52
135.68
173.84
212

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 3
  • Deaf Studies 3
Business
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 47
  • Retail Management 2
Communication
  • Radio and Television 31
  • Journalism 22
  • Communication, General 20
  • Communication and Media Studies 20
  • Advertising 20
  • Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 11
  • Public Relations/Image Management 7
  • Photojournalism 5
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects 212
  • Recording Arts Technology/Technician 24
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Programming/Programmer, General 7
  • Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design 0
Education
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • Creative Writing 46
  • English Language and Literature, General 4
Foreign Languages
  • Sign Language Interpretation and Translation 19
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • General Studies 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 14
Parks
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 0
Physical Sciences
  • Acoustics 30
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 116
  • Graphic Design 70
  • Fashion/Apparel Design 70
  • Music Management 53
  • Game and Interactive Media Design 48
  • Acting 47
  • Illustration 47
  • Photography 44
  • Musical Theatre 38
  • Music, General 37
  • Fine and Studio Arts Management 33
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 33
  • Comedy Writing and Performance 31
  • Interior Design 22
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 16
  • Dance, General 15
  • Intermedia/Multimedia 9
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 8
  • Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology 8
  • Music Technology 6
  • Music Theory and Composition 5
  • Music, Other 5
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management, General 4
  • Documentary Production 2
  • Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 2
  • Commercial and Advertising Art 1
  • Music Performance, General 0
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 0
  • Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other 0
  • Directing and Theatrical Production 0
  • Playwriting and Screenwriting 0
  • Theatre/Theatre Arts Management 0

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