North Central vs Columbia College

North Central College and Columbia College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. North Central, nestled in Naperville, Illinois, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a more diverse student body. Columbia, located in the heart of Chicago, attracts a smaller, more selective cohort. While North Central excels in nursing and business programs, Columbia shines in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, ensuring students receive the support they need to succeed. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Columbia College	North Central College
Overview
Location	Columbia, Missouri	Naperville, Illinois
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
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	65.0%	77.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Protestant	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	68.4%
Application fees		$25
SAT range	N/A	1030 - 1230
ACT range	N/A	22 - 28
Students submitting SAT score		43.0%
Students submitting ACT score		17.0%
Total number of applicants		4,551
Total number of admissions given out		3,113
Admitted students who chose to enroll		512
Yield rate		16.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	Not required	N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Not required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$37,364	$61,098
Average net price	$24,559	$26,207
Tuition	$23,840	$42,026
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,100 Meal plan: $3,400	Room/dormitory: $7,998 Meal plan: $3,890
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	91.0% Average amount $13,178	100.0% Average amount $28,670
Students receiving federal student loan	63.0% Average amount $5,846	60.0% Average amount $5,156
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $15,055	25.0% Average amount $6,992

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,351 Men 40.1% Women 59.9%	2,404 Men 48.4% Women 51.6%
Graduate students	414 Men 37.0% Women 63.0%	324 Men 29.3% Women 70.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Low
Out-of-state students	40.9%	26.8%
International students	2.5%	3.7%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	545	1,333
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Missouri Washington Illinois Florida Georgia	Illinois Wisconsin Indiana Ohio Michigan

Academics
Popular study areas	Liberal Arts Business Law Enforcement and Firefighting Public Administration and Social Service Health Professions	Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio	20:1	13:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	32.5%	64.4%
Dropout rate	63.0%	35.1%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $62,664 Year 2: $68,079 Year 3: $72,141 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,570 Year 2: $53,894 Year 3: $62,904 International Business (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,369 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $56,061 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $56,488 Year 2: $54,382 Year 3: $55,619 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,859 Year 2: $49,937 Year 3: $54,418 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,904 Year 2: $44,970 Year 3: $50,412 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,410 Year 2: $44,817 Year 3: $48,171 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,432 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $46,968 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,929 Year 2: $41,651 Year 3: $46,183 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,380 Year 2: $42,235 Year 3: $45,012	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,561 Year 2: $63,501 Year 3: $74,669 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $63,155 Year 2: $62,260 Year 3: $71,061 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,815 Year 2: $58,921 Year 3: $66,245 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,117 Year 2: $46,478 Year 3: $64,795 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,621 Year 2: $45,305 Year 3: $51,292 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,923 Year 2: $43,240 Year 3: $50,109 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,795 Year 2: $43,000 Year 3: $49,516 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,391 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $47,721 Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,154 Year 2: $45,584 Year 3: $46,743 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,411 Year 2: $40,441 Year 3: $44,647

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