Columbia University in the City of New York tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at Columbia University in the City of New York is $89,472 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $21,590 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

What your family pays
$21,590 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $89,472. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusAll students
Tuition & fees$71,845
Housing & meals$16,800
Books & supplies$1,392
Personal & travel$2,350
Living-at-home adjustment−$2,915
Total cost of attendance$89,472

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$18,750
Loan default rate1.7%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out18%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants23%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$67,882Sticker price minus average net price

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)

College Scorecard

Need-based and merit aid at Columbia University in the City of New York

What Columbia University in the City of New York reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025.

If you qualify for need-based aid

Share of need met, on average100%Of students awarded need-based aid; excludes parent and unsubsidized loans
Students with need who had all of it met100%855 of 855
Average need-based grant$78,198
Average aid package$81,072Grants, work-study and need-based loans

If you don't qualify for need-based aid

Not reported.

Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.

Columbia University in the City of New York net price compared with other New York colleges

Columbia University in the City of New York has the 89th-lowest average net price of 157 New York colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
85Houghton University$20,51965%$46,721
86Manhattanville University$20,99158%$58,832
87University at Buffalo$20,99575%$70,814
88Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz$21,4375%$35,023
89Columbia University in the City of New York$21,59096%$102,491
90Binghamton University$21,62082%$80,596
91University of Mount Saint Vincent$21,69657%$65,756
92Le Moyne College$22,27773%$62,731
93State University of New York at Cortland$22,34568%$60,236

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All New York colleges →

Why Columbia University in the City of New York costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
Columbia University in the City of New York4%$21,59096%$102,491This school
Barnard College9%$28,80093%$80,516
Cornell University9%$28,69095%$104,043
Colgate University14%$28,78691%$85,139
Hamilton College14%$28,98591%$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 residentColumbia University in the City of New YorkBarnard CollegeDifference
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.

Columbia University in the City of New York cost questions

How much is tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York?

Tuition and fees are $71,845 a year.

What is the total cost of attending Columbia University in the City of New York?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $89,472 a year.

What do families actually pay at Columbia University in the City of New York?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $21,590 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $4,570; $48–75k pay $5,866; $110k+ pay $50,621.

How much debt do Columbia University in the City of New York graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $18,750, and 1.7% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is Columbia University in the City of New York the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Columbia University in the City of New York overview