Education (B42) IRS Verified DX Registered 990 on File

COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO

EIN: 36-6112087 · CHICAGO, IL 60605-1900 · United States · FY 2025 Data

3 out of 5 58 / 100 Based on 2+ years of filings

Financial strength (30%) 82/100

Reliability (20%) 55/100

Effectiveness (25%) 88/100

Impact (25%) No data yet

Financial data: FY 2025 · Scored 9/13/2026

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CharityAI™ Score

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Mission Statement

Columbia College Chicago is an undergraduate and graduate institution whose principal commitment is to provide a comprehensive educational opportunity in the arts, communications, and public information within a context of enlightened liberal education. Columbia’s intent is to educate students who will communicate creatively and shape the public’s perceptions of issues and events and who will author the culture of their times. Columbia is an urban institution whose students reflect the economic, racial, cultural, and educational diversity of contemporary America. Columbia conducts education in close relationship to a vital urban reality and serves an important civic purpose by active engagement in the life and culture of the city of Chicago.

Financial Overview — FY 2025

$267.6M

Total Revenue

$243.8M

Total Expenses

$287.4M

Net Assets

2539

Employees

Revenue Sources

Expense Breakdown

Program Expense Ratio 81.7%

Fundraising Efficiency 885.4%

Operating Reserve 14.15x

Liability-to-Asset 33.1%

Revenue Diversification 74.6%

Executive Compensation $2.4M

Compared with Peers

FY 2025

Compared with 237 similar organizations (United States, Education, $100M and over in expenses), FY 2025.

This organization Middle half of peers (P25–P75) Peer median

Ratio	This org	Peer median	Position (P10 → P90)
Program expense ratio Program expenses / total expenses · higher is better	81.7%	87.7%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Admin expense ratio Management and general / total expenses · lower is better	17.7%	10.5%	P10P90	Bottom quarter
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expenses / total expenses · lower is better	0.6%	1.3%	P10P90	Above median
Fundraising efficiency Fundraising expenses / gross fundraising income · lower is better	885.4%	4180.7%	P10P90	Top quarter
Operating reserve Months of expenses covered by net assets · higher is better	14.2 mo	20.9 mo	P10P90	Below median
Liabilities to assets Total liabilities / total assets · lower is better	33.1%	26.1%	P10P90	Below median
Revenue concentration Share of revenue from the largest source · lower is better	74.6%	82.9%	P10P90	Above median
Revenue growth Year over year revenue growth	6.7%	6.6%	P10P90
Expense growth Year over year expense growth	-9.8%	4.7%	P10P90
Surplus margin Surplus as a share of revenue	8.9%	3.6%	P10P90

Financial History

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Net Assets	Program %	Staff
2025	$267.6M	$243.8M	$287.4M	81.7%	2539
2024	$250.7M	$270.3M	$304.6M	83.1%	2836
2023	$239.2M	$267.2M	$320.3M	83.1%	2870
2022	$231.5M	$261.3M	$334.9M	81.5%	2719
2021	$221.3M	$248.4M	$407.7M	82.4%	2760

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Organization Details

EIN: 36-6112087
State: IL
City: CHICAGO
ZIP: 60605-1900
Classification: B42
Category: Education
Rating: 3★
Coverage: A
Last Updated: Aug 2026
IRS Ruling Year
Foundation Code: 15
Form 990: On File

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CharityAI™ rates charities from 0 to 100 using public filings (IRS Form 990 and the equivalent registries outside the US) together with the information the charity itself provides on DonationX. Ratings are recalculated every quarter, without human bias, and shown as stars.

Four pillars

Financial strength30%

Program expense ratio, fundraising efficiency, operating reserves, liabilities and revenue diversification, compared with similar organizations.

Reliability20%

Standing with the registry, filing history, verification and how complete the profile is.

Effectiveness25%

How much goes to programs and how consistently the organization delivers them.

Impact25%

The outcomes the charity reports on DonationX: people served, cost per service and results.

Stars

★★★★★ 80–100 ★★★★☆ 60–79 ★★★☆☆ 40–59 ★★☆☆☆ 20–39 ★☆☆☆☆ 1–19

A pillar with no data counts as zero. Without impact metrics the score is capped at 59 (three stars): only the charity can supply that data.
The coverage grade (A to D) says how much filing data the score rests on; NONE means there is not enough to rate.
An organization that is not in good standing with its registry (for example a revoked tax exemption) is shown as Not rated.
"Compared with peers" places the charity's key ratios against organizations of the same country, sector and size.

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