Columbia University in the City of New York

www.columbia.edu/

Add Comparison

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$57,864

0.175% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$22,126

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

1.8%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

6.66%

40,462 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

30,135

79% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

96.2%

1,422 Graduates

About

Columbia University in the City of New York is a higher education institution located in New York County, NY. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Columbia University in the City of New York were Computer Science (341 degrees awarded), Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (311 degrees), and General Political Science & Government (255 degrees).

In 2020, 15,092 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Columbia University in the City of New York. 54.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (4,254 degrees), 2.54 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1677 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York is $57,864, which is $29,301 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

About the photo: Memorial Union from frozen Lake Mendota

Photo by Mike Steele

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York is $57,864, which is $29,301 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $22,126.

In 2020, 59% of undergraduate students attending Columbia University in the City of New York received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 19% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$57,864

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York was $57,864. The cost of tuition at Columbia University in the City of New York is $29,301 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$22,126

2020 Value

1.37%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Columbia University in the City of New York had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $22,126. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Columbia University in the City of New York grew by 1.37%.

This chart compares the average net price of Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$16,223

Room and Board

$1,294

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Columbia University in the City of New York was of $16,223 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,294. The cost of room and board increased by 2.35% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies increased by 1.89% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

59%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

19%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

59% of undergraduate students at Columbia University in the City of New York received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a decline of 4.84% with respect to 2019, when 62% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.8%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Columbia University in the City of New York was 1.8%, which represents 70 out of the 3889 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Columbia University in the City of New York received 40,462 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 5.51% annual decline. Out of those 40,462 applicants, 2,695 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 6.66% acceptance rate.

There were 30,135 students enrolled at Columbia University in the City of New York in 2020, and 66% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Columbia University in the City of New York has an overall enrollment yield of 56.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

6.66%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

2,695

Accepted Out of 40,462

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Columbia University in the City of New York was 6.66% (2,695 admissions from 40,462 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 5.45%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −5.51%, while admissions grew by 15.6%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

66%

Submission Percentage

1,009

Scores Submitted

66% of enrolled first-time students at Columbia University in the City of New York in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Columbia University in the City of New York has a total enrollment of 30,135 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia University in the City of New York is 23,803 students and the part-time enrollment is 6,332. This means that 79% of students enrolled at Columbia University in the City of New York are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Columbia University in the City of New York, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30.6% White, 13% Asian, 8.5% Hispanic or Latino, 5.12% Black or African American, 3.06% Two or More Races, 0.219% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0796% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Columbia University in the City of New York in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (17.2%), followed by White Female (14.4%) and Asian Female (9.58%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (17.3%), followed by White Male (14.1%) and Asian Female (7.21%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

79%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Columbia University in the City of New York, both undergraduate and graduate, is 30,135 students. The full-time enrollment at Columbia University in the City of New York is 23,803 and the part-time enrollment is 6,332. This means that 79% of students enrolled at Columbia University in the City of New York are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

95%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Columbia University in the City of New York was 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), Columbia University in the City of New York had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Columbia University in the City of New York (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
9,233
Asian
3,922
Hispanic or Latino
2,560

The enrolled student population at Columbia University in the City of New York is 30.6% White, 13% Asian, 8.5% Hispanic or Latino, 5.12% Black or African American, 3.06% Two or More Races, 0.219% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0796% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1,343 students (4.46%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 1428 more women than men received degrees from Columbia University in the City of New York. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Columbia University in the City of New York is white (4,254 degrees awarded). There were 2.54 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1677 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Columbia University in the City of New York is Computer Science (341 degrees awarded), followed by Econometrics & Quantitative Economics (311 degrees) and General Political Science & Government (255 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Columbia University in the City of New York, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Architecture and Related Services (477 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (744 degrees), and Legal (766 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Social workers, all other

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Columbia University in the City of New York are Social workers, all other (140,691 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (93,944 people), Architects, except landscape and naval (91,556 people), Other managers (90,441 people), and Postsecondary teachers (81,728 people).

The most specialized majors at Columbia University in the City of New York are Architecture and Related Services (477 degrees awarded), Math & Statistics (744 degrees), Legal (766 degrees), Language & Linguistics (350 degrees), and Public Administration and Social Service (989 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Columbia University in the City of New York are Surgeons, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Aircraft pilots & flight engineers, Physicians, and Dentists

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Columbia University in the City of New York are Elementary & secondary schools (237,731 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (149,195 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (144,661 people), Individual & family services (100,206 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (87,411 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Columbia University in the City of New York.

Most Common

Computer Science
341 degree-majorss awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
311 degree-majorss awarded
General Political Science & Government
255 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Columbia University in the City of New York was Computer Science with 341 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Columbia University in the City of New York according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

6,832

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

8,260

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 6,832 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia University in the City of New York, which is 0.827 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (8,260).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Columbia University in the City of New York by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 836 degrees were awarded to men at Columbia University in the City of New York in Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods, which is 1.44 times more than the 582 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 582 degrees were awarded to women at Columbia University in the City of New York in Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods, which is 0.696 times less than the 836 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

87%

100% Completion Time

96%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 87% of students graduating from Columbia University in the City of New York completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 96% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 96% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Columbia University in the City of New York is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 2.6% of graduates (37 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
4,254 degrees awarded
Asian
1,677 degrees awarded
Unknown
1,064 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Columbia University in the City of New York is white (4,254 degrees awarded). There were 2.54 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, asian (1677 degrees).

7.05% of degree recipients (1,064 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
2,301 degrees awarded
White Male
1,953 degrees awarded
Asian Female
987 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Columbia University in the City of New York is white female (2,301 degrees awarded). There were 1.18 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,953 degrees).

Operations

Columbia University in the City of New York has an endowment valued at nearly $11.3B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $609M (5.41%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Columbia University in the City of New York had a total salary expenditure of $5.04B. Columbia University in the City of New York employs 803 Professors, 349 Lecturers, and 218 Associate professors. Most academics at Columbia University in the City of New York are Male Professors (579), Female Professors(224), and Female Lecturers (182).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia University in the City of New York are: Management, with 2342 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 1400 employees, and Research with 1118 employees.

Endowment

$11.3B

2020 Endowment

2.8%

growth from 2019

Columbia University in the City of New York has an endowment valued at about $11.3B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Columbia University in the City of New York grew 2.8% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $11B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Columbia University in the City of New York (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$999M - Federal
$8.96M - State
$1.06M - Local

As of 2020, Columbia University in the City of New York received $999M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $8.96M from state grants and contracts, and $1.06M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$2.45B

2020 Salaries

7.52%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Columbia University in the City of New York paid a median of $2.45B in salaries, which represents 48.6% of their overall expenditure ($5.04B) and a 7.52% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 6.16% growth from 2018 and a 5.76% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$280M

Instructional Salaries

1,583

Number of Employees

In 2020, Columbia University in the City of New York paid a total of $280M to 1,583 employees working as instructors, which represents 11.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

803 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2342 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Columbia University in the City of New York were Professor with 803 employees; Lecturer with 349 employees; and Lecturer with 218 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Columbia University in the City of New York were Management with 2,342 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 1,400 employees; and Research with 1,118 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Female Professor
Female Lecturer

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Columbia University in the City of New York was Male Professor with 579 employees, Female Professor with 224 employees, and Female Lecturer with 182 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Columbia University in the City of New York.