Rankings and Awards | Columbia College Chicago

Rankings and Awards | Columbia College Chicago
Rankings
and Awards
2025 Top Film Schools
Variety Magazine
“Variety” consistently ranks Columbia on its list of top film schools,
highlighting how Columbia prepares students for careers in cinematography, production
design and virtual production, sound design, and multi-camera production.
#1 Music School in the World 2025
The Hollywood Reporter
In naming Columbia the top institution worldwide, “The Hollywood Reporter” emphasized the strength of its two-year graduate degree program, which is known for its outstanding orchestrated thesis projects, five-week semester in L.A. with internships, and impressive roster of alumni.
Illustration School in Illinois 2025
Animation Career Review
The Illustration program at Columbia helps students learn how their visual storytelling can captivate audiences and how their distinct style and voice can make an impact. They develop artistic skills through studio classes and critiques with a dedicated faculty of professional illustrators.
Visual Effects (VFX) School In the Midwest 2024
Animation Career Review
The VFX Program introduces students to the principles and practices of VFX in cinema and games. Columbia's courses guide aspiring practitioners and technical artists through the ever-changing landscape of visual effects, cinematics, and motion graphics.
Animation School in the Midwest 2025
Animation Career Review
Animation students at Columbia have access to state-of-the-art animation production spaces including Cintiq, stop-motion, and traditional animation labs, as well as the Equipment Cave, Game Lab, Sound Studio, and Open Lab.
Top Game Design Schools in the Illinois 2025
Animation Career Review
Students at Columbia have opportunities to work with traditional and emerging technologies to create games, animations, and immersive experiences, with Columbia's partnership with Unreal offering a wealth of resources.
Best Photography Schools in the U.S. 2022
The Art Career Project
Students have access to cutting-edge facilities, including a digital imaging lab, darkrooms, and studio spaces, and can have their work shown at public venues such as Columbia's Museum of Contemporary Photography, gaining visibility and networking opportunities.
13
Top U.S. Film Schools 2025
The Hollywood Reporter
In its ranking, "The Hollywood Reporter" noted Columbia’s
affordability as well its successful alumni. This is the 14th consecutive year Columbia has made "The Hollywood Reporter's" prestigious list of top film schools.
Alumni Awards
Lena Waithe ’06
Actor/Writer/Producer
Lena Waithe ‘06 won an Emmy for her Comedy Writing for the TV series “Master of None.” She was also nominated for her work as producer for “Being Mary Tyler Moore” in 2023 and produced “A Thousand and One,” winner of the Film Independent Spirit Award – Best First Feature category.
Tiffany S. Griffith ‘92
Dialogue Editor
Tiffany Griffith ’92 has won three Emmy awards: two for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series for “Stranger Things” and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special for “The Watchmen.”
Aidy Bryant ’09
Actor/Comedian
Aidy Bryant ‘09 was once a mainstay on Saturday Night Live and has been nominated for three Emmys for her work on the legendary show. She also received an Emmy nod for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on “Shrill.”
Mauro Fiore ‘87
Cinematographer
Mauro Fiore won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Cinematography for “Avatar” and is known for his work on films including "The Kingdom," "Training Day," and "The Island."
Heather Gross ’97
Foley Editor
Heather Gross ’97 won a Prime Time Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special for her work as foley editor on the HBO series “The Night Of.” She was also nominated for an Emmy for her work on “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
Len Amato ’75
Executive/Executive Producer
Len Amato, Emmy winning executive producer of “Recount,” is chief content officer at Masterclass and the former President of HBO Films, Miniseries and Cinemax where he oversaw award-winning films “Grey Gardens” and “Behind the Candelabra.”
Tonika Johnson ’03
Photographer/Social Justice Advocate
Tonika Johnson ’03, named 2017 Chicagoan of the Year for her social justice work through photography, was named a Landmark Illinois' 2022 Influencer. Tonika confronts inequities in real estate and land use practices with her project "Inequity for Sale."
Janusz Kaminski ’87
Cinematographer
Janusz Kaminski ’87, a cinematographer who works regularly with Steven Spielberg, won Oscars for “Shindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan.” He was also nominated for his work on the film “West Side Story.”
Tucker Barrie '12
Stop Motion Animator
Tucker Barrie '12 won the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character Animation in a Feature Production for "Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio" in 2023.
Marcus Norris '14
TV and Film Composer
Marcus Norris '14 earned his bachelor's degree in Music Composition at Columbia and won a
2025 BMI Film, TV, and Media Award for composing the score for AppleTV's “Lady in the Lake.” Norris is the founder and musical director of LA's South Side Symphony, which performed the score for the show.
Nick Drnaso ’11
Author and Graphic Novelist
Nick Drnaso ‘11 is best known for his books “Beverly” and “Sabrina,” the latter being the first graphic novel nominated for a Man Booker Prize in 2018. “Beverly” received the LA Times Book prize for Best Graphic Novel
David Cromer HDR '17
Theatre Director/Actor
David Cromer has won or been nominated for numerous awards, including the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for “The Band's Visit” and the Lucille Lortel Award and Obie Award for his direction of “Our Town."
Faculty Awards
John Losacco
Animation Assistant Professor of Instruction
Animation professor John Losacco wins Best Animated Short Film in North America for “The Perfect Present.”
Darrell Jones
Associate Professor, Theatre and Dance
The Walder Foundation presented dance professor Darrell Jones with a prestigious
2024 Platform Award
, which included a three-year, unrestricted grant of $200,000.
Jackie Spinner
Professor, Journalism and Communication
Jackie Spinner received a
2023 Peter Lisagor Award
. The Lisagor Awards honor the best journalism produced in Illinois and northwest Indiana from across print, digital, and broadcast media.
Student Awards
Silver Award for “The Wanderer”
AEJMC
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (
AEJMC
) honored Columbia's “Wanderer” publication with a silver award in Student Graphic Design for its Chicago LatinArtists edition in 2024. This issue highlighted the rich diversity of Latino, Latina, and Latinx artists based in Chicago.
Winner, U.S.; Second Place, International
L’Oreal Brandstorm Competition
Students once again brought home a victory in 2024 after the U.S. L'Oréal Brandstorm, an annual student competition that gives students the chance to tackle a real business case, gain new skills, and engage with industry experts. They went on to win second place in the International Competition.
Best Newspaper and 1st Place, Crisis Coverage
National Media Association
Columbia College Chicago's student-led newspaper,
The Columbia Chronicle
, clinched two prestigious awards at the
National College Media Association
conference, earning the title of "Best Newspaper" and secured first place for crisis coverage.
Announcements
Adjunct Faculty Member’s Game Wins Award for Technical Achievement
Apr 08, 2026
When not developing award-winning games, William Chyr, adjunct professor of instruction, teaches graduate students at Columbia College Chicago about the games industry and how music intersects with interactive media.
'The Columbia Chronicle' Wins College Media Association Awards
Mar 13, 2026
Columbia College Chicago’s top-notch student-led media outlet recognized again for excellence in collegiate journalism.
'Columbia Chronicle' Dominates Illinois College Press Association Awards
Feb 24, 2026
The “Chronicle,” Columbia College Chicago's student-run media outlet, brings home 34 awards — including nine first-place honors and the division sweepstakes title.
alumni
faculty
students
programs
stories
industry partners