Columbia College vs Otis College

Columbia College Chicago and Otis College of Art and Design, two esteemed institutions renowned for their artistic and creative programs, offer distinct educational experiences. Columbia, located in the vibrant heart of Chicago, boasts a diverse student body and a wide range of majors, including film, music, and theater. Otis, nestled in the artistic hub of Los Angeles, specializes in art and design disciplines, fostering a close-knit community of creative thinkers. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation outcomes, these institutions cater to different aspirations and learning styles. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which college aligns best with your unique artistic journey.
Columbia College Chicago logo

Columbia College Chicago

Otis College of Art and Design logo

Otis College of Art and Design

Overview

Location Chicago, Illinois Los Angeles, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 62.0% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 95.6% 79.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 1130 - 1360
ACT range N/A 20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 3.0%
Total number of applicants 7,218 2,284
Total number of admissions given out 6,903 1,823
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,696 263
Yield rate 24.6% 14.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $48,698 $70,802
Average net price $25,262 $45,402
Tuition $26,610 $47,700
Room & board $16,456 $15,744
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

99.0%
Average amount $20,992
100.0%
Average amount $21,593
Students receiving federal student loan 94.0%
Average amount $6,068
48.0%
Average amount $5,811
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $19,315
5.0%
Average amount $26,799

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,493
Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
1,197
Men 30.5% Women 69.5%
Graduate students 243
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
55
Men 18.2% Women 81.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 46.1% N/A
International students 4.0% 30.2%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,158 403
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Illinois Indiana Michigan Minnesota Ohio N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Communications Technology
  • Communication and Journalism
  • English Language and Literature
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Architecture
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 14:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.9% 68.6%
Dropout rate 48.5% 31.4%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,418
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $48,304
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,500
  • Year 2: $36,124
  • Year 3: $46,919
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,614
  • Year 2: $41,789
  • Year 3: $41,739
Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,521
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $41,719
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,175
  • Year 2: $40,355
  • Year 3: $41,194
Graphic Communications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $22,857
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,498
American Sign Language (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,692
  • Year 2: $35,330
  • Year 3: $38,260
Journalism (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,841
  • Year 2: $30,635
  • Year 3: $37,241
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,669
  • Year 2: $31,133
  • Year 3: $37,111
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,065
  • Year 2: $29,737
  • Year 3: $36,271
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,497
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $48,158
Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,531
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $39,370
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,166
  • Year 2: $18,315
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: N/A

Compare Similar Colleges

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