# Columbia College Chicago: Graphic Communications (bachelor's)

Chicago, IL. IPEDS 144281, CIP 10.03. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-college-chicago/majors/graphic-communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $26,309
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $43,970 (U.S. median for this major: $43,745 across 51 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,000 (U.S. median $26,958)
- Rank in IL: 4 of 5 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IL median for this major (5 colleges, $45,028): -$1,058
- Versus the U.S. median: +$225

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.34 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $43,970 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $20,924 | $90,810 | 11.1 years |
| 30-48k | $21,423 | $92,976 | 11.4 years |
| 48-75k | $25,590 | $111,061 | 13.6 years |
| 75-110k | $31,677 | $137,478 | 16.8 years |
| 110k+ | $36,436 | $158,132 | 19.3 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Graphic Communications at IL colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State University | $55,723 | not reported | $19,398 | 65% |
| Western Illinois University | $50,751 | not reported | $12,937 | 45% |
| DePaul University | $45,028 | $25,864 | $30,902 | 68% |
| Columbia College Chicago | $43,970 | $25,000 | $26,598 | 52% |
| Bradley University | $37,657 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |

## Careers
- Special Effects Artists and Animators (SOC 27-1014): median wage $83,200 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $81,180 IL, $102,030 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.3% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).