Having done both, I'm not sure pulling the column is easier than just pulling the ignition. But I also had a PO who put loctite on the steering wheel bolt so that made the job a lot harder.

Detaching the seat and moving it rearwards may be a third option to gain more room under the dash if you opt to not drop the column.

If you do drop the steering column, pay careful attention to the flex tube to not bend it and make sure you properly scribe the location of the steering wheel. I'd read up on all the related areas in the FSM.