Creative Careers Start at Columbia College Chicago

In a rapidly changing world, the future of work, technology, and education have been important topics of conversation, with some questioning the value of a college education.

But the numbers don’t lie: A college degree remains a wise investment.

Earning a bachelor’s degree leads to stronger financial outcomes. In fact, 87 percent of degree holders report financial well-being — a rate 20 percent higher than those with other education levels. Over a lifetime, individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn, on average, an additional $1 million compared to those with only a high school diploma. A college degree will always give graduates a leg up in the economy.

Creative Careers Help Drive the Economy

And it’s not just medicine or engineering — creative fields are thriving, too. A Columbia College Chicago education prepares students for careers in the arts, media, and culture — industries that play a vital role in the U.S. economy. These fields support 5.4 million jobs nationwide and generate over $1.2 trillion in economic activity each year.

Programs to Meet the Needs of the Creative Economy

Columbia College Chicago offers more than 40 degree programs at both the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels that address every aspect of the creative economy. Columbia grads help shape today’s creative industries — working for major networks, making films, launching their own ventures, and earning recognition across the arts, fashion, media, music, design, entertainment, and business.

While on campus, Columbia students have access to many of the same perks as the professionals. Not only are their professors actively working in the industries they teach, but they also have access to state-of-the-art equipment and opportunities to establish their creative voices.

Columbia’s campus is equipped with a 35,500 square foot Media Production Center, which has three film production soundstages and a LED volume wall; a Maker Space that acts as a fabrication studio for students to create, collaborate, and build prototypes of their designs; and many more production spaces for audio, music, filmmaking, and multimedia purposes.

Degrees That Land Jobs

Hands-on learning and professional preparation are central to the Columbia experience. This prepares graduates to find their place in the professional world without missing a step. In a survey of the graduating Class of 2023, 65 percent of respondents reported completing at least one internship while they were enrolled, and 96 percent reported they were employed within a year of graduation. These employed graduates made an average starting salary of $42,588, which is well above the national average.

These creative professionals also have business acumen. Columbia equips students with skills to thrive as both creatives and entrepreneurs. In fact, 30 percent of graduates are building a freelance career, starting a business, or finding performance, exhibition, or artistic representation opportunities as their primary career goal. Columbia gives them the skills to become their own boss.

Just ask alum Deana Lewis ’05, who works as the Senior Director of Marketing at The Mather Group, a wealth management company based in Chicago. She attributes her success to the career-focused education she received at Columbia’s business and entrepreneurship programs.

“Columbia really laid the foundation for what it takes to be successful in the real world,” says Lewis. “Not just in industry, but how to have good business skills, how to communicate, and how to look for opportunities. This place was amazing in setting me up for success.”

Are you ready to start your creative career at Columbia College Chicago?