The real 4-year cost of Columbia College Chicago in Illinois
Over the 15 years from 2008 to 2023, published tuition and required fees at Columbia College Chicago went from $18,415 to $32,520, an average of 3.7% a year.
2008–2027: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $18,415 | – | – |
| 2009 | $18,960 | – | – |
| 2010 | $19,610 | – | – |
| 2011 | $20,644 | – | – |
| 2012 | $21,730 | – | – |
| 2013 | $22,792 | – | – |
| 2014 | $23,544 | – | – |
| 2015 | $24,344 | – | – |
| 2016 | $25,334 | – | – |
| 2017 | $26,474 | – | – |
| 2018 | $27,176 | – | – |
| 2019 | $27,756 | – | – |
| 2020 | $27,786 | – | – |
| 2021 | $27,786 | – | – |
| 2022 | $31,026 | – | – |
| 2023 | $32,520 | $32,520 | – |
| 2024 | – | $33,708 | $32,860–$34,557 |
| 2025 | – | $34,940 | $33,203–$36,721 |
| 2026 | – | $36,217 | $33,550–$39,021 |
| 2027 | – | $37,540 | $33,900–$41,466 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $36,217 |
| Year 2 | $37,540 |
| Year 3 | $38,912 |
| Year 4 | $40,334 |
| 4-year total | $153,002 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $113,002
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $80,702
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Latest (2023)
- $16,838/ yr
- rising 3.4% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $78,384
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Columbia College Chicago4-year schools with similar prices in Illinois
Closest to Columbia College Chicago by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Benedictine University$32,546
- Principia College$33,280
- McKendree University$34,070
- Rush University$30,957
- Judson University$30,910
- VanderCook College of Music$30,910
- Greenville University$30,598
- Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences$29,868
Use this data
Published figures for Columbia College Chicago from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.