Columbia University in the City of New York: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
New York, New York · Private nonprofit · Most selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- 59,611
- Applicants
- 2,946
- Admitted5%
- 1,797
- Enrolled
- 61%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Most selective5% admittedRanked #12 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #17 (tie), Computer Science #17 (tie), Economics #8 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by Columbia University in the City of New York (see the source), read on 2026-10-21. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
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Columbia University in the City of New York is a private nonprofit university in New York, New York that admits about 5% of applicants, making it a most selective school. The average family pays about $21,590 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Computer Science, Economics and Political Science and Government, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 96% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 20.4 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private institution located in New York, New York and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Columbia University in the City of New York admits fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 5%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1540 and an ACT composite around 35. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $21,590 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about Columbia University in the City of New York right now
Columbia University admitted 4.29% of applicants to Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science for the Class of 2029, accepting 2,557 students from 59,616 applications and enrolling a combined 1,806 first-year students, the largest entering class in school history. About 20% of the class are first-generation college students and roughly 21% received Pell Grants. Columbia is need-blind for domestic applicants and meets full demonstrated need with grants rather than loans, and a $400 million gift from media entrepreneur John Kluge continues to fund undergraduate aid. Distinctive features parents should know about include the Core Curriculum, a sequence anchored by Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization that every undergraduate completes, the Manhattan campus that adds 6.8 million square feet of expansion space at Manhattanville, and 17 schools across undergraduate and graduate levels. Recent leadership changes have been significant: Minouche Shafik resigned in August 2024, Claire Shipman serves as acting president, and Jennifer Mnookin is set to take office on July 1, 2026. In July 2025 Columbia reached a $220 million settlement with the federal government to resume research funding and adopted new antisemitism policies, a development that has shaped campus governance and student-life rules. The 2025 endowment is $15.9 billion, and total enrollment exceeds 36,600 students.
What GPA does my child need for Columbia University in the City of New York?
75% of enrolled students at Columbia University in the City of New York had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.25, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
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What does Columbia University in the City of New York weight in admissions?
Columbia University in the City of New York reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
7- Rigor of secondary school record
- Class rank
- Academic GPA
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Character/personal qualities
Important
1- Talent/ability
Considered
6- Standardized test scores
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
4- Interview
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Columbia University in the City of New York typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | 1510 |
| 50th percentile | 1540 |
| 75th percentile | 1560 |
| % submitting SAT | 50% |
| 25th percentile | 34 |
| 50th percentile | 35 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 17% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional for 2026-27 (fall 2027 entry). Testing becomes required for the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry).
- • Changing for 2027-2028 applicants: tests will be required.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Columbia University in the City of New York's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 94% |
| Top 25% of class | 99% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
| % submitting class rank | 25% |
How much does Columbia University in the City of New York actually cost?
Published tuition is $71,845 for in-state students and $71,845 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,580 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $21,590 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 23% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $72,800 |
| Room and board | $19,650 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $21,590 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $78,198 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 14% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $37,357 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS Profile (incl. noncustodial parent)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $85 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Columbia University in the City of New York
| Regular deadline | 1/1 |
Will my child graduate from Columbia University in the City of New York?
These predict outcomes at Columbia University in the City of New York better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Columbia University in the City of New York
The most popular undergraduate programs at Columbia University in the City of New York, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Computer Science, Economics and Political Science and Government. Across all programs, Columbia University in the City of New York confers roughly 1,420 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Computer Science program report a median income of about $204,511 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 357 | $204,511 |
| Economics | 327 | $134,398 |
| Political Science and Government | 225 | $98,687 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 163 | $80,055 |
| History | 111 | $66,087 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 82 | $74,155 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 81 | $77,489 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, Other | 74 | $77,285 |
Is Columbia University in the City of New York safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Columbia University in the City of New York disclosed 183 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 20.4 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 28 violent offenses and 34 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Columbia University in the City of New York?
About 90% of undergraduates at Columbia University in the City of New York live in campus housing, making it a largely residential campus. In Greek life, 9% of men join a fraternity and 14% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in New York parents ask about
Next steps for Columbia University in the City of New York
Common questions parents ask about Columbia University in the City of New York
What GPA do I need for Columbia University in the City of New York?
75% of enrolled students at Columbia University in the City of New York had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.25, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Columbia University in the City of New York typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 770–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35.
How much does Columbia University in the City of New York actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Columbia University in the City of New York after grants and scholarships is $21,590 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $71,845. Budget against the net figure.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York realistic for my child?
Columbia University in the City of New York admits 5% of applicants, so 770–800 SAT Math is target range and below 770 is a reach. Then check the $21,590 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York accepts about 5% of applicants out of roughly 59,611 who apply each year. That makes it a most selective school.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York test-optional?
Yes. Columbia University in the City of New York is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered. That changes for the 2027-2028 cycle, when tests become required.
What is the graduation rate at Columbia University in the City of New York?
About 96% of students at Columbia University in the City of New York graduate within six years, and 84% finish in four years. 98% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Columbia University in the City of New York look for in applicants?
Columbia University in the City of New York rates course rigor, class rank, GPA and the application essay as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York a public or private school, and where is it located?
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private nonprofit institution located in New York, New York.
What are the most popular majors at Columbia University in the City of New York?
The largest undergraduate majors at Columbia University in the City of New York by annual graduates are Computer Science, Economics and Political Science and Government. The school awards about 1,420 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Columbia University in the City of New York reported 183 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 20.4 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Columbia University in the City of New York?
At Columbia University in the City of New York, 90% of undergraduates live on campus, 9% of men are in fraternities, 14% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Columbia University in the City of New York, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers