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Marketing at Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,386/yr (-20% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (54% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (204,300 openings/yr)

ROI 4.5x earnings multiple

Ranked #439 of 502 Marketing programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Marketing graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$605K	$592K	$532K
Earnings Multiple	4.7x	4.5x	4.1x
Probability of Field Employment	50%	44%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	44	44	39

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)

$130,080

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$107,152

18% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$25,250

8.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$62,207

71% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $36,386 place Columbia College Chicago below the $45,450 national median for Marketing — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

An earnings multiple of 4.5x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Marketing's typical career paths, with 54% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $25,250 represents roughly 8 months of the $36,386 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #439 of 502 Marketing programs, Columbia College Chicago falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $62,207 show a 71% jump from the $36,386 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago accepts 91% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, enrolling 6,294 students in Chicago, IL. With 43% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at Columbia College Chicago →

Top Career Paths

Marketing managers $161,030/yr

Sales managers $138,060/yr

Advertising and promotions managers $126,960/yr

View all 9 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Marketing at Other Schools

Other Majors at Columbia College Chicago

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Marketing at Columbia College Chicago?

A score of 44/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Marketing. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Marketing careers?

With 54% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $532,447 in decade earnings vs $605,130 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Marketing from Columbia College Chicago?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →