Columbia University in the City of New York
Private nonprofit four-year university in New York, NY that costs an average of $15,370 a year after financial aid, admits 4.0% of applicants and graduates 95% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$15,370
Acceptance rate
4.0%
Graduation rate
95%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$109,430
Private nonprofitLarge city8,973 undergraduates
Cost of Columbia University in the City of New York
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $92,198 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $74,180 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $18,680 |
| Books and supplies | $1,282 |
| Average net price after aid | $15,370 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $2,275 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $4,020 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $4,878 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $8,881 |
| $110,001+ | $40,931 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Columbia University in the City of New York's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 4.0% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,553 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 740–780 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 770–800 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 34–35 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 95% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 98% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $87,082 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $109,430 |
| Rank in New York (earnings) | 6th of 140 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $20,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $233 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 25% |
| Students with federal loans | 15% |
Majors and programs at Columbia University in the City of New York
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (69)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 840 | $135,612 | $16,500 |
| Operations Research | 100 | $125,285 | — |
| Statistics | 90 | $98,912 | — |
| Economics | 672 | $97,674 | $19,698 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 156 | $92,862 | $10,275 |
| Sustainability Studies | 104 | $80,080 | $27,000 |
| Political Science and Government | 457 | $72,705 | $21,500 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 64 | $63,128 | $17,750 |
| Sociology | 127 | $59,638 | $20,750 |
| History | 274 | $58,276 | $22,250 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 319 | $57,188 | $31,181 |
| Area Studies | 127 | $56,970 | $18,000 |
| Mathematics | 149 | $55,980 | — |
| English Language and Literature | 195 | $50,370 | $18,971 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 48 | $49,430 | — |
| Philosophy | 128 | $49,361 | $16,000 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 163 | $48,217 | $27,000 |
| Social Sciences, Other | 78 | $45,369 | $19,500 |
| Biology | 119 | $44,866 | $22,250 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 84 | $44,703 | $35,252 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 194 | $39,186 | $18,442 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 49 | $26,913 | — |
| Anthropology | 60 | — | $25,000 |
| Applied Mathematics | 116 | — | — |
| Architecture | 35 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 42 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 52 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | — | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 109 | — | $11,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | 34 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 28 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 45 | — | — |
| Classical and Ancient Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 24 | — | — |
| Climate Science | — | — | — |
| Cognitive Science | 14 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 53 | — | — |
| Dance | 7 | — | — |
| Data Science | 11 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 15 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 13 | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 55 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 20 | — | — |
| Engineering, Other | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 29 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 78 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 27 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | — | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 8 | — | $21,500 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 95 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 10 | — | — |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 50 | — | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 28 | — | — |
| Music | 34 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 17 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | — | — | — |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other | 17 | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | 1 | — | — |
| Physics | 58 | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 14 | — | — |
| Science Technologies/Technicians, Other | — | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 14 | — | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 23 | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (4)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | — | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | — | — | $25,000 |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (99)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | 19 | $236,233 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 3,423 | $215,957 | $105,581 |
| Computer Science | 998 | $180,031 | $41,000 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 215 | $151,659 | $76,495 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 1,456 | $133,400 | $60,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 609 | $130,699 | $114,333 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 541 | $126,706 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 106 | $126,350 | — |
| Real Estate Development | 249 | $122,218 | $121,189 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 321 | $120,402 | $50,682 |
| Construction Management | 63 | $114,495 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 298 | $107,343 | $50,347 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 660 | $101,570 | — |
| Statistics | 931 | $100,892 | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 189 | $96,229 | $70,027 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 269 | $94,670 | $65,131 |
| Public Administration | 818 | $94,158 | $61,500 |
| Sustainability Studies | 544 | $93,339 | $61,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 141 | $93,048 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 150 | $88,778 | $61,500 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 511 | $88,603 | $93,000 |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 109 | $85,714 | $137,955 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 131 | $85,220 | $66,057 |
| Civil Engineering | 242 | $83,275 | $41,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 389 | $82,308 | $70,167 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 107 | $82,307 | $102,784 |
| Public Health | 779 | $77,407 | $66,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 107 | $75,506 | $41,000 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 508 | $71,907 | $107,000 |
| Social Sciences, Other | 79 | $70,973 | $78,005 |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 113 | $64,839 | $98,750 |
| Social Work | 1,140 | $64,626 | $66,998 |
| Area Studies | 118 | $62,498 | $60,500 |
| Journalism | 470 | $61,586 | $61,500 |
| Political Science and Government | 75 | $58,969 | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 165 | $51,966 | $78,677 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 247 | $48,535 | $74,821 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 132 | $46,694 | $127,000 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 193 | $37,896 | $125,000 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 55 | $29,411 | $50,945 |
| Anthropology | 66 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 105 | — | — |
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 15 | — | — |
| Architecture | — | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 14 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | — | — | — |
| Biology | 61 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | 56 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 37 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 222 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 21 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 12 | — | — |
| Climate Science | 166 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 62 | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 24 | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 415 | — | $56,313 |
| Data Science | 443 | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | 77 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 56 | — | — |
| Economics | 343 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 10 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 62 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 56 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 89 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 46 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 55 | — | — |
| Genetics | 14 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 33 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | 44 | — | — |
| History | 108 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 260 | — | — |
| Insurance | 24 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 6 | — | — |
| Library Science and Administration | — | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | — | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 46 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 15 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 24 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 9 | — | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 17 | — | — |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | — | — | — |
| Music | 11 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 31 | — | — |
| Operations Research | 706 | — | $50,215 |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 3 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 34 | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | 9 | — | — |
| Physics | 33 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 22 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 38 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 35 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 12 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 40 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 28 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 392 | — | $80,500 |
| Sociology | 45 | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 6 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (74)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 13 | $136,888 | $191,264 |
| Anthropology | 25 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 6 | — | — |
| Architecture | 4 | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 7 | — | — |
| Behavioral Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | — | — | — |
| Biology | 38 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 21 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 51 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 45 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 28 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 27 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 7 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 17 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 52 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 6 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 4 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 53 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 6 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 18 | — | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 43 | — | — |
| Economics | 67 | — | — |
| Education | 1 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 11 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 2 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 38 | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 10 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 43 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 14 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 21 | — | — |
| Genetics | 14 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 28 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | — | — | — |
| History | 29 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 5 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 21 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 5 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 16 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 28 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 5 | — | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | — | — |
| Music | 27 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 37 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 7 | — | — |
| Operations Research | 22 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 7 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 9 | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Physics | 29 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 10 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 29 | — | — |
| Psychology, Other | 4 | — | — |
| Public Health | 16 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 17 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 21 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 12 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 8 | — | — |
| Social Work | 17 | — | — |
| Sociology | 20 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 11 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 4 | — | — |
| Statistics | 18 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 14 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | — | — | — |
Professional degree programs (5)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 950 | $226,792 | $204,847 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 164 | $86,090 | $152,839 |
| Dentistry | 195 | $81,345 | $380,644 |
| Medicine | 282 | $79,570 | $90,371 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 240 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (87)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | 88 | $206,235 | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 92 | $90,552 | $89,151 |
| Public Health | 603 | $76,457 | $66,000 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 183 | $73,138 | $74,888 |
| Anthropology | 15 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 10 | — | — |
| Architecture | 7 | — | — |
| Architecture and Related Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 14 | — | — |
| Behavioral Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | — | — | — |
| Biology | 36 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 54 | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 37 | — | — |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 51 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 27 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 49 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 6 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 15 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 18 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 39 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 4 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 71 | — | — |
| Demography | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 4 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 20 | — | — |
| Economics | 51 | — | — |
| Education | 4 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 13 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 2 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 41 | — | — |
| Engineering Mechanics | — | — | — |
| Engineering Physics | 10 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 48 | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 10 | — | — |
| Genetics | 13 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 26 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 12 | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | 1 | — | — |
| History | 34 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | — | — | — |
| Journalism | 17 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 61 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 127 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 41 | — | — |
| Materials Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 27 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 19 | — | — |
| Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | 8 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 9 | — | — |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 12 | — | — |
| Music | 8 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 35 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 10 | — | — |
| Operations Research | 16 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 7 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 9 | — | — |
| Physical Sciences, Other | 10 | — | — |
| Physics | 39 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 20 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 23 | — | — |
| Psychology | 16 | — | — |
| Psychology, Other | 5 | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | 13 | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 37 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 155 | — | $181,005 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 8 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 21 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 11 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 9 | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Social Work | 10 | — | — |
| Sociology | 29 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 10 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 5 | — | — |
| Statistics | 21 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 15 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in New York
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's University-New York | Queens | $24,508 | 83% | $77,281 |
| Pace University | New York | $30,721 | 76% | $77,411 |
| Fordham University | Bronx | $42,760 | 59% | $92,809 |
| Excelsior University | Albany | — | — | $81,471 |
| The New School | New York | $48,163 | 63% | $64,471 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | $30,647 | 68% | $76,540 |
| University of Rochester | Rochester | $34,347 | 40% | $88,358 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | $37,405 | 67% | $84,700 |
About Columbia University in the City of New York
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | New York, NY |
| Setting | Large city |
| Undergraduates | 8,973 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 6 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
| Website | columbia.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Columbia University in the City of New York's acceptance rate?
Columbia University in the City of New York admits 4.0% of applicants, making it highly selective. Admitted students average 1,553 on the SAT.
How much does Columbia University in the City of New York cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $92,198 a year (tuition and fees: $74,180). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $15,370 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $2,275.
How much do Columbia University in the City of New York graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $109,430 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 6th of 140 similar colleges in New York. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer science ($135,612 a year after graduation).
What is Columbia University in the City of New York's graduation rate?
95% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% of first-year students return for a second year.