National university
#21 Lowest net price for middle-income families in AmericaColumbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $21,590 a year
Median debt at graduation: $21,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
Columbia University Campus Tour · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for nursing in America#4 of 1,068
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#4 of 704
- Most selective colleges in America#5 of 683
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#8 of 690
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#22 of 1,829
- Best colleges in America#29 of 1,829
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- Best test-optional colleges in America#25 of 1,481
- Best colleges for psychology in America#24 of 1,418
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#25 of 1,358
- Best colleges for art and design in America#23 of 1,187
- Best colleges for English in America#28 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#28 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#28 of 1,215
- Best colleges for music in America#25 of 1,063
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#28 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#28 of 1,116
- Best mid-size colleges in America#19 of 667
- Best colleges in the New York area#3 of 103
- Best colleges for computer science in America#22 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#22 of 749
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#21 of 704
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#21 of 682
- Best colleges for economics in America#28 of 788
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#15 of 367
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#25 of 598
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#34 of 693
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#52 of 681
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in America#32 of 239
- Best value colleges in America#114 of 674
In New York
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in New York#1 of 135
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in New York#1 of 80
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in New York#1 of 79
- Most selective colleges in New York#1 of 79
- Best test-optional colleges in New York#2 of 125
- Best colleges for nursing in New York#1 of 58
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- Best colleges in New York#3 of 135
- Best colleges for art and design in New York#2 of 85
- Best colleges for psychology in New York#3 of 96
- Best mid-size colleges in New York#2 of 61
- Best colleges for music in New York#2 of 59
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in New York#3 of 88
- Best colleges for history in New York#3 of 82
- Best colleges for English in New York#3 of 81
- Best colleges for mathematics in New York#3 of 81
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in New York#3 of 80
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in New York#3 of 80
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in New York#3 of 79
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in New York#3 of 77
- Best colleges for chemistry in New York#3 of 76
- Best colleges for economics in New York#3 of 73
- Best colleges for computer science in New York#2 of 46
- Best colleges for engineering in New York#3 of 41
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in New York#6 of 77
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in New York#7 of 67
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in New York#3 of 23
- Best value colleges in New York#13 of 75
- Best value colleges in the Northeast in New York#13 of 75
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.96%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.98%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,553 · ACT 34.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.6 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$110,371
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $89,472 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 9,111 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 50% · Women 50% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 25% |
| Total students | 35,279 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $21,590 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $89,472 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $21,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 96% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 83% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 78% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 76% |
| First-year retention | 98% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $102,491 |
| Admission rate | 4% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $85 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 23% |
| Average SAT | 1553 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 740–780 |
| SAT math | 770–800 |
| ACT composite | 34–35 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Excellent · Top 19% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer engineering | |
| Computer science | |
| Operations Research | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Economics | |
| Mathematics | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Sociology | |
| Political science | |
| Liberal arts | |
| History | |
| Area studies | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Sustainability Studies | |
| Anthropology | |
| Neuroscience | |
| Other social sciences | |
| English | |
| Philosophy | |
| Ethnic and gender studies | |
| Biology | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| Other visual and performing arts |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Applied mathematics, Architecture, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Climate Science, Cognitive Science, Dance, Data Science, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Physics, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Fine arts, Geology and earth science, German, Industrial Engineering, Information science, International relations, Linguistics, Materials Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Nursing, Nutrition Sciences, Other engineering, Other philosophy and religious studies, Other physical sciences, Other science technologies/technicians, Physics, Public administration, Religious studies, Romance languages, Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Statistics, Theatre, Urban Studies/Affairs.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Engineering | |
| Biology | |
| English |
Campus life
| Setting | City |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 7% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 14% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,580 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Ivy Group |
| ROTC | Army · Navy · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 6 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 43%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $436,482IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest major airport | LaGuardia Airport (LGA)About 5 miles away |
| Town population | 8,483,844Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | Jersey CityAbout 9 miles away |
| Typical weather | 34°F in January · 78°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.09 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.37 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Columbia University in the City of New York’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 2% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Columbia University in the City of New York cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $21,590 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Columbia University in the City of New York?
- Columbia University in the City of New York admitted 4% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Columbia University in the City of New York’s graduates do?
- 96% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $102,491; the median federal debt at graduation is $21,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 190150
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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