Columbia College Chicago

What it reported doing in 2024

Columbia college chicago (the college) is a fully accredited not-for-profit private college with more than 40 academic programs and over 4,400 students. Columbia college chicago awards undergraduate bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of music and bachelor of science degrees, along with graduate master of arts, master of arts management, and master of fine art degrees. The college is one of the largest and most diverse private arts and media colleges in the nation. The college's intent is to educate students who will communicate creatively and shape the public perceptions of issues and events and who will author the culture of their times. The college had 4,346 students enrolled in its undergraduate programs and 115 students enrolled in its graduate programs. The undergraduate programs are offered in eight schools within the college; the school of audio and music; the school of business and entrepreneurship; the school of communication and culture; the school of design; the school of fashion; the school of film and television; the school of theatre and dance; and the school of visual arts. In fall 2025, the school of audio and music had an undergraduate enrollment of 483 and a graduate enrollment of 27. The school of business and entrepreneurship had an undergraduate enrollment of 383 and a graduate enrollment of 33. The school of communication and culture had an undergraduate enrollment of 322 and a graduate enrollment of 9. The school of design had an undergraduate enrollment of 741 and a graduate enrollment of 6. The school of fashion had an undergraduate enrollment of 316. The school of film and television had an undergraduate enrollment of 805 and a graduate enrollment of 30. The school of theatre and dance had an undergraduate enrollment of 562 and a graduate enrollment of 4. The school of visual arts had an undergraduate enrollment of 567 and a graduate enrollment of 10. There were 167 students who did not have an official school. In the 2024-2025 academic year, the college granted 1,348 degrees. The school of audio and music granted 109 undergraduate degrees, the school of business and entrepreneurship granted 157 degrees (147 were undergraduate), the school of communication and culture granted 141 (124 were undergraduate), the school of design granted 223 degrees (222 were undergraduate), the school of fashion granted 102 undergraduate degrees, the school of film and television granted 266 degrees (259 were undergraduate), the school of theatre and dance granted 190 degrees (186 were undergraduate), and the school of visual arts granted 160 degrees (155 were undergraduate).

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 95.3%; rating input score 95
• Program expense ratio: 81.7%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $3.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.2%; rating input score 95; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 8.9%; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.76; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.33; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 2%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings