More selective than 100% of New York colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $89,472. College Scorecard.
Higher than 99% of New York colleges we cover and 99% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 97% of New York colleges we cover and 99% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Columbia University in the City of New York acceptance rate & admissions
Of 57,613 applicants, Columbia University in the City of New York admitted 2,439 and 1,540 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1510–1580 on the SAT or 34–35 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Columbia University in the City of New York tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: New York residents may qualify for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): up to $5,665 a year toward tuition at eligible New York colleges, for dependent students with New York net taxable family income up to $125,000. Not included in the prices above. New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
What Columbia University in the City of New York costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in New York. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $4,570 | $19,148 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $2,275 | $9,532 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $5,866 | $24,579 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $11,782 | $49,367 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $50,621 | $212,102 | 3.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (80% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($102,491) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $67,858 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Columbia University in the City of New York majors, earnings & careers
Columbia University in the City of New York offers 67 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 17
- Science & Math · 17
- Engineering · 13
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Arts & Design · 5
- Technology & Computing · 4
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Business & Finance · 1
Highest-earning majors at Columbia University in the City of New York
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $194,365 | — |
| Computer Science | $188,265 | $20,397 |
| Operations Research | $167,572 | — |
| Electrical Engineering | $143,332 | $12,000 |
| Economics | $137,710 | $25,000 |
| Mathematics | $117,252 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | $111,491 | $16,960 |
| Civil Engineering | $108,246 | — |
Quick list of all 67 majors
- Anthropology$83,493
- Applied Mathematics—
- Architecture—
- Area Studies$96,884
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$53,698
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Chemical Engineering—
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$108,246
- Classical and Ancient Studies—
- Classics—
- Climate Science—
- Cognitive Science—
- Computer Engineering$194,365
- Computer Science$188,265
- Dance—
- Data Science—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics$137,710
- Electrical Engineering$143,332
- Engineering Mechanics—
- Engineering Physics—
- Engineering, Other—
- English$59,396
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies$55,472
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- History$98,079
- Industrial Engineering—
- Information Science / Studies—
- International Relations—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$99,679
- Linguistics—
- Materials Sciences—
- Mathematics$117,252
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Mechanical Engineering$111,491
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Music—
- Neuroscience$70,244
- Nursing—
- Nutrition Science—
- Operations Research$167,572
- Philosophy$56,885
- Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other—
- Physical Sciences, Other—
- Physics—
- Political Science$100,245
- Psychology (Research)$86,946
- Public Administration—
- Religious Studies—
- Science Technologies / Technicians, Other—
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Social Sciences, Other$65,085
- Sociology$101,536
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics—
- Studio Art—
- Sustainability Studies$85,545
- Theatre—
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other$46,535
- Writing$47,702
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Computer Science → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in New York
Overall prices in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,971. Housing costs 49% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 50 inches of rain a year, 30 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: hurricane (relatively high); river flooding (very high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, New York County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
New York County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Columbia University in the City of New York with similar schools
Similar private colleges in New York by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York | 4% | $21,590 | 96% | $102,491 | This school |
| Barnard College | 9% | $28,800 | 93% | $80,516 | |
| Cornell University | 9% | $28,690 | 95% | $104,043 | |
| Colgate University | 14% | $28,786 | 91% | $85,139 | |
| Hamilton College | 14% | $28,985 | 91% | $78,411 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Columbia University in the City of New York would cost you $7,210 less per year than Barnard College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Columbia University in the City of New York, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$3,782).
- Columbia University in the City of New York gives aided families $7,144 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, New York resident | Columbia University in the City of New York | Barnard College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $71,845 | $69,888 | +$1,957 |
| Books & supplies | $1,392 | $1,150 | +$242 |
| Housing & meals | $16,800 | $20,582 | −$3,782 |
| Personal & travel | $2,350 | $1,830 | +$520 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,915 | −$3,912 | +$997 |
| Sticker price | $89,472 | $89,538 | −$66 |
| Average grants | −$67,882 | −$60,738 | −$7,144 |
| You pay | $21,590 | $28,800 | −$7,210 |
“+” means Columbia University in the City of New York costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Columbia University in the City of New York
What is the Columbia University in the City of New York acceptance rate?
Columbia University in the City of New York accepts 4% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,439 of 57,613 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1510–1580 on the SAT or 34–35 on the ACT.
How much does Columbia University in the City of New York cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $89,472 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $21,590 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $4,570 and families earning $110k+ pay $50,621.
How much do Columbia University in the City of New York graduates earn?
Former Columbia University in the City of New York students earn a median $102,491 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Columbia University in the City of New York graduation rate?
96% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% return for their second year.
How long does a Columbia University in the City of New York degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Columbia University in the City of New York costs about $24,579 after grants ($5,866 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $102,491 ten years after starting, $67,858 more than high school graduates in New York ($34,633), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is Columbia University in the City of New York the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Columbia University in the City of New York: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).