Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $51,889. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | All students |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $34,088 |
| Housing & meals | $16,838 |
| Books & supplies | $1,800 |
| Personal & travel | $3,130 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,967 |
| Total cost of attendance | $51,889 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at Columbia College Chicago
What Columbia College Chicago reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
Columbia College Chicago net price compared with other Illinois colleges
Columbia College Chicago has the 44th-lowest average net price of 52 Illinois colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Augustana College | $22,736 | 73% | $62,971 |
| 41 | Elmhurst University | $24,185 | 70% | $61,462 |
| 42 | Knox College | $24,595 | 68% | $54,820 |
| 43 | McKendree University | $24,717 | 53% | $58,572 |
| 44 | Columbia College Chicago | $26,598 | 52% | $42,195 |
| 45 | Wheaton College | $26,975 | 85% | $63,756 |
| 46 | Illinois Wesleyan University | $28,199 | 75% | $70,871 |
| 47 | Lake Forest College | $28,673 | 78% | $61,825 |
| 48 | Northwestern University | $29,167 | 95% | $89,363 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Illinois colleges →
Why Columbia College Chicago costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia College Chicago | 89% | $26,598 | 52% | $42,195 | This school |
| Dominican University | 90% | $11,745 | 55% | $60,327 | |
| Saint Xavier University | 84% | $10,970 | 57% | $58,656 | |
| Aurora University | 81% | $18,838 | 60% | $58,709 | |
| National Louis University | 95% | $12,641 | 30% | $45,799 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Columbia College Chicago would cost you $14,853 more per year than Dominican University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Columbia College Chicago, mostly from more Dominican University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$5,722).
- Dominican University gives aided families $6,855 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Illinois resident | Columbia College Chicago | Dominican University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $34,088 | $38,978 | −$4,890 |
| Books & supplies | $1,800 | $1,200 | +$600 |
| Housing & meals | $16,838 | $12,552 | +$4,286 |
| Personal & travel | $3,130 | $850 | +$2,280 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,967 | −$9,689 | +$5,722 |
| Sticker price | $51,889 | $43,891 | +$7,998 |
| Average grants | −$25,291 | −$32,146 | +$6,855 |
| You pay | $26,598 | $11,745 | +$14,853 |
“+” means Columbia College Chicago costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Columbia College Chicago cost questions
How much is tuition at Columbia College Chicago?
Tuition and fees are $34,088 a year.
What is the total cost of attending Columbia College Chicago?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $51,889 a year.
What do families actually pay at Columbia College Chicago?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $26,598 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $20,924; $48–75k pay $25,590; $110k+ pay $36,436.
Does Columbia College Chicago give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 104 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Columbia College Chicago, averaging $12,469 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 51% of it met on average.
How much debt do Columbia College Chicago graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $16,500, and 6.1% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Columbia College Chicago overview