COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO
AT-A-GLANCE A destination for innovators for more than 135 years, Columbia College Chicago provides a hands-on, practice-based creative education grounded in liberal arts, technology, media, and business. Through our innovative majors and minors in communication, music, applied arts, visual arts, performing arts, the marketing and management side of the creative industries, and more, you will become career-ready for a creative profession. Columbia’s main campus is located in the South Loop, situated in the heart of Chicago’s Cultural Mile, with proximity to Grant Park and Lake Michigan. For students seeking hands-on learning in the heart of the entertainment industry, Columbia offers an immersive Semester in LA experience at its satellite campus.
ACADEMIC OFFERINGS Columbia offers 34 undergraduate degrees and 9 graduate degrees within its 8 schools (below). Students can pursue both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from the combined degree program. Audio and Music Business and Entrepreneurship Communication and Culture Design Fashion Film and Television Theatre and Dance Visual Arts
40+
4,000+
15:1
97%
54%
98%
undergraduate and graduate programs
of transfer students received financial aid
students
first-generation students
student-to-faculty ratio
STUDY ABROAD Go abroad with faculty and students for an immersive experience in a specific Columbia course. Choose from a variety of program options in over 20 countries.
of first-year students received financial aid
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AT-A-GLANCE
WHY CHOOSE COLUMBIA Creative careers start at Columbia College Chicago. At Columbia, students learn from working professionals; they know what’s relevant and have extensive industry connections that translate to career success. Our curriculum is designed for collaboration across disciplines, and students are immersed in practice-based learning from day one. THE VALUE AT A GLANCE
of recent grads reported being employed, continuing their education, or achieving success in their creative practice within a year. TOP CREATIVE INDUSTRY EMPLOYERS
NATIONALLY RANKED PROGRAMS
Top Animation Schools of 2026 Animation Career Review
Top Film Schools 2026 Variety Magazine
Top-Ranked Film Schools 2026 The Hollywood Reporter 30 Best Film Schools in the U.S. and Canada 2025 MovieMaker Magazine
#1 Ranked Music School in the World 2025 The Hollywood Reporter
Top 50 Film Schools for 2025 TheWrap
Top Fashion School in U.S. 2025 Fashionista
TOP ALUMNI OCCUPATIONS Chief Executives Producers and Directors Marketing Managers Graphic Designers General and Operations Managers We are proud to have one of the highest social mobility scores among private schools for creatives. Source: Carnegie 2025 Student Access and Earnings Classification.
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