R1 ResearchPrivate nonprofitMedical

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, New York·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Mid East·columbia.edu
6-yr Graduation
96%
+2.0pp vs R1 Research
Total enrollment
35,173
peer median 16,357
Avg net price
$20,148
-$11k vs R1 Research
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AboutAdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data SetDocuments

About

Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a private Ivy League research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1754 as King's College by royal charter under George II of Great Britain on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan, it is the oldest institution of higher education in New York and the fifth-oldest in the United States.

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
60,115
60,115 candidates competed
Admitted
2,400
4.0% acceptance rate
Enrolled
1,558
64.9% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
96%+2.0pp vs R1 Research
4-year graduation
81%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
96%
Full-time retention
98%

Pell equity

5.0pp gap
Pell recipients
93%
Non-Pell
98%

Non-Pell students graduate at a 5.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 252 Title IV programs, 69 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 182 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
252
Passing
69
27.4% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
0.4% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.4%
-0.2pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

252programs
  • Passing69 · 27.4%
  • No Data182 · 72.2%
  • Failing1 · 0.4%

Severity spectrum

Critical
1
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
1
Watch
2
Safe
66
No data
182

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

70
Visual and Performing Arts Other
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-55.7%
$21,409 vs $48,304
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Master's Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+8.3%
$53,592 vs $49,483
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+16.9%
$56,444 vs $48,304
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+19.5%
$57,723 vs $48,304
Historic Preservation and Conservation
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
+31.6%
$70,565 vs $53,607
Visual and Performing Arts Other
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+33.7%
$46,535 vs $34,808
Journalism
Master's Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+34.2%
$78,880 vs $58,761
History
Master's Degree · History
+34.2%
$72,306 vs $53,884

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

61
Visual and Performing Arts Other
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
451%
$96,600 debt · $21,409 earn
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
304%
$171,776 debt · $56,444 earn
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Master's Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
237%
$136,980 debt · $57,723 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
177%
$164,202 debt · $92,870 earn
Dentistry
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
174%
$317,153 debt · $182,326 earn
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Master's Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
172%
$92,280 debt · $53,592 earn
Dispute Resolution
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
129%
$95,163 debt · $73,611 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
113%
$95,900 debt · $84,917 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Accredited since 1921Next review Nov 2025

Programmatic accreditations · 21

Action history · 50

  1. Sep 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Council on Education for Public Health · Public Health (PHG) - Graduate level school of public health
  2. Jun 2025Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Warning
    Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  3. Apr 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PT) - Professional programs for the physical therapist
  4. Jan 2025Grant Substantive Change: Program
    American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Endodontics
  5. Jan 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Periodontics

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$6,342
$30–48k$4,975
$48–75k$5,195
$75–110k$15,368
$110k+$44,695

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$20,148
-$11,081vs R1 Research median $31,229
Federal loans
14.4%
In-state tuition
$69,045
Out-of-state
$69,045

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 2,444 students received $15.2M in Pell grants, alongside $300.5M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
2,444
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$15.2M
$15,244,926 total
Direct Loans
$300.5M
10,467 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

2k
’20
2k
’21
2k
’22
2k
’23
2k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$4.3M
935 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$5.9M
1,042 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$107.3M
4,888 loan awards
Parent PLUS$11.4M
281 loan awards
Grad PLUS$171.6M
3,321 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 3,735 borrowers who entered repayment, 35 (0.9%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.9%
-1.4pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
3,735
Defaulted
35
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
1.8%
2017
2.1%
2018
1.7%
2019
0.9%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Columbia

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs209
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

12,385 total completions
01Business
1,85215.0%
02Computer Sciences
1,73614.0%
03Engineering
1,70213.7%
04Social Sciences
1,50712.2%
05Health Professions
1,33210.8%
06Multi/Interdisciplinary
9777.9%
07Public Admin
9657.8%
08Legal Professions
8637.0%
09Biological Sciences
7416.0%
10Mathematics
7105.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
35,173
12-mo unduplicated
39,113
Undergraduate
9,911
Graduate
29,202

Gender split

Men
45%17,681
Women
55%21,432

Race / ethnicity composition

White
29.9%
Asian
18.4%
Non-resident
18.3%
Hispanic
16.3%
Black
7.8%
Two or more
6.5%
Unknown
2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
799
442 M · 357 W
Women athletes
44.7%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$40.2M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$985K
$352K
Head-coach salaries
$195K
$133K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 18

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
124 M · 151 W
$1.4M
Football
111 M · —
$5.7M
Rowing
32 M · 51 W
$1.9M
Swimming and Diving (combined)
36 M · 38 W
$1.1M
Soccer
26 M · 31 W
$1.4M
Fencing
22 M · 26 W
$928K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
3.88
135 offenses · 34,782 students

3-year trend

1.892 yrs ago3.551 yr ago3.88Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
312
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
117
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
11
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
21

Criminal offenses by type

Burglary
37
Motor vehicle theft
36
Robbery
21
Fondling
18
Rape
11
Aggravated assault
11
Arson
1

By location

135total
  • On campus69
  • Public property66

Includes 50 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

11
Domestic violence
19
Dating violence
21
Stalking
51 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Race1
  • Religion1
  • Ethnicity1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons70
Drugs021
Liquor0106

Residence-hall fires

  • Broadway Hall1 fire
    Damage $0-$99
  • John Jay Hall2 fires
    Machinery/IndustrialDamage $1,000-$9,999
  • John Jay Hall2 fires
    CookingDamage $100-$999
  • Woodbridge Hall1 fire
    A student, using a cigarette lighter, set fire to a bulletin board.Damage $100-$999
  • Carlton Arms2 fires
    ElectricalDamage $1,000-$9,999
  • Carlton Arms2 fires
    CookingDamage $100-$999
  • 600 W 113th Street1 fire
    CookingDamage $100-$999
  • 536 West 113 Street1 fire
    ElectricalDamage $100-$999
  • 601 West 115 Street1 fire
    OtherDamage $100,000-$249,999
  • 400 West 119 Street1 fire
    OtherDamage $10,000-$24,999

Data quality: 1 report was later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
6.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
4,738

Columbia vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Columbia selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectColumbia University in the City of New York
96%—35,173$20,148R1 Research
Baylor University
80%51.3%20,626$41,942R1 Research
Boston College
91%16.4%15,432$39,866R1 Research
Boston University
89%11.1%37,737$26,996R1 Research
Brandeis University
86%40.5%5,205$33,885R1 Research
Brown University
96%5.4%11,956$26,572R1 Research
California Institute of Technology
94%2.6%2,430$18,902R1 Research
Carnegie Mellon University
94%11.7%15,888$31,671R1 Research
Case Western Reserve University
87%36.5%12,475$38,909R1 Research
Cornell University
95%8.8%26,793$32,337R1 Research
Dartmouth College
96%5.4%6,938$28,619R1 Research
Drexel University
78%79.4%21,153$38,428R1 Research
Duke University
97%5.7%17,499$34,454R1 Research
Emory University
91%10.6%15,175$23,911R1 Research
George Washington University
84%47.1%25,374$37,454R1 Research
Georgetown University
95%12.9%20,031$39,433R1 Research
Harvard University
98%3.6%30,259$16,816R1 Research
Johns Hopkins University
94%6.4%30,210$18,161R1 Research
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
96%4.5%11,886$19,813R1 Research
New York University
88%9.2%56,832$35,035R1 Research
Northeastern University
91%5.2%32,553$32,116R1 Research
Northwestern University
95%7.7%23,856$27,143R1 Research
Princeton University
98%4.6%9,137$10,555R1 Research
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
84%63.5%7,040$33,139R1 Research
Rice University
95%8.0%8,961$12,640R1 Research
Stanford University
92%3.6%18,625$12,136R1 Research
Syracuse University
84%45.9%22,589$41,026R1 Research
Tufts University
94%11.5%13,599$35,435R1 Research
Tulane University of Louisiana
86%14.0%13,310$43,939R1 Research
University of Chicago
96%4.5%18,566$18,967R1 Research
University of Denver
76%77.8%12,813$36,037R1 Research
University of Miami
84%18.9%19,852$36,803R1 Research
University of Notre Dame
95%11.3%13,042$27,823R1 Research
University of Pennsylvania
97%5.4%29,109$31,229R1 Research
University of Rochester
85%40.1%11,946$30,248R1 Research
University of Southern California
92%9.8%46,566$31,927R1 Research
Vanderbilt University
94%5.9%13,575$19,040R1 Research
Washington University in St Louis
94%12.1%16,357$22,117R1 Research
Yale University
96%3.9%15,564$27,818R1 Research
Peer group median94%10.2%16,357$31,229

Institutions like Columbia

Explore the federal data for institutions in Columbia's comparison group.

IPEDS

Columbia Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Planning and Institutional Research
Reports to Office of the Provost
Email
opir [at] columbia.edu
Phone
212-854-0773
Address
535 W. 116th Street, 401 Low Memorial Library · New York, NY 10027

The Office of Planning and Institutional Research provides accurate and timely information in support of the University's strategic planning, policy development, and decision making.

Visit IR office page
Team
5 members
  • John Saul
    Director of Institutional Research
  • Lucy Drotning
    Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness
  • Kimberly Woo
    Assistant Director of Institutional Research
  • Yufan Shen
    Institutional Data Analyst
  • Kat Yee
    Assessment Analyst

Common Data Set

Columbia's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
29.6%
Selective
Yield
49.0%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
35,173
9,164 UG · 26,009 grad
6-yr graduation rate
95%
First-year retention
98%
Student–faculty ratio
6 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$51,908
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
516
Admitted
153
Enrolled
75

516 applied → 153 admitted (29.6%) → 75 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
29.6%

Selective — 29.6% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
Male30.0%
Female29.7%
Another Gender14.3%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1460
Median
1510
75th
1530

Middle 50% SAT 1460–1530 (median 1510).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
33
Median
34
75th
34

Middle 50% ACT 33–34 (median 34).

High-school class rank

C10
Top tenth0.1%
Top quarter0.25%
Top half0.5%
Bottom half0.5%
Bottom quarter0.25%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important4
Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankAcademic GPAStandardized test scores
Important2
Application EssayRecommendation
Considered11
InterviewExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceReligious affiliation/commitmentVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant’s interest
Not Considered1
State residency

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$95,492
Tuition
$68,28072%
Fees
$5551%
Room & board
$21,89723%
Books
$1,2501%
Other
$3,5104%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $95,492 (2025-2026).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$95,492
Net (aided)
$51,908
Avg need grant
$43,584

Sticker $95,492 → about $51,908 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($43,584); 73% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Institutional70.4%
Scholarships/grants from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit)19.5%
Federal9.6%
State all states, not only the state in which your institution is located0.4%

70% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
28%
Avg debt
$37,133

28% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $37,133 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
95%
Retention
98%

6-year graduation rate 95%; first-year retention 98%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students95%
Pell recipients91%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 4 pts below the overall rate (91% vs 95%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students415
10-19 students760
20-29 students400
30-39 students101
40-49 students84
50-99 students178
100+ students103

58% of classes have under 20 students; 14% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
6 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
50%
Women faculty
42%

Key faculty indicators.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic35.0%
Nonresidents29.2%
Hispanic/Latino11.4%
Asian, non-Hispanic10.5%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic5.9%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown4.0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic3.9%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.0%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
693
Share
8%

8% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Graduate
26,00974%
Undergraduate
9,16426%

9,164 undergraduates and 26,009 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
1,330
Admitted
697
Enrolled
410

1,330 transfer applicants → 697 admitted (52.4%) → 410 enrolled

Source publications

Reports & documents (5)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Frequently asked questions about Columbia University in the City of New York

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Columbia.

What is the graduation rate at Columbia University in the City of New York?

Columbia University in the City of New York reports a 6-year graduation rate of 96% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Columbia University in the City of New York?

Columbia University in the City of New York reports a total enrollment of 35,173 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Columbia University in the City of New York?

The average net price at Columbia University in the City of New York is $20,148 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Columbia University in the City of New York?

Columbia University in the City of New York's yield rate is 64.9%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Columbia University in the City of New York located?

Columbia University in the City of New York is located in New York, New York 10027.

Who runs Institutional Research at Columbia University in the City of New York?

Columbia University in the City of New York's IR work is done by the Office of Planning and Institutional Research, which reports to Office of the Provost.

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