Columbia University in the City of New York: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY. Students pay about $21,590 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $102,491 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 1.9 years and adds $450,050 over a decade, ranking it #13 of 918 (top 2%) by value added.
What is Columbia University in the City of New York's acceptance rate?
Columbia University in the City of New York has an acceptance rate of 4.0%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in New York, NY enrolling about 8,973 students, with a 95.5% graduation rate.
How much does Columbia University in the City of New York cost?
Columbia University in the City of New York costs about $21,590 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $107,860. Published sticker cost of attendance is $89,472 per year.
How much do Columbia University in the City of New York graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Columbia University in the City of New York student earns $102,491 per year. That is $55,791 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Columbia University in the City of New York pays back its roughly $107,860 cost in about 1.9 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $450,050 net of cost, a 5.17x return on the money invested. That ranks it #13 of 918 (top 2%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Columbia University in the City of New York graduation rate and student debt
95.5% of Columbia University in the City of New York students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $21,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 21% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Columbia University in the City of New York by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Columbia University in the City of New York compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $21,590 | $20,299 | cheaper than 45% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $102,491 | $54,768 | 98th |
| Graduation rate | 95.5% | 57.0% | 99th |
| Acceptance rate | 4.0% | 75.7% | more selective than 100% |
| 10-yr value added | $450,050 | -$28,192 | 99th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 5.17x | 0.73x | 98th |
| Payback period | 1.9 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 97% |
Frequently asked
Is Columbia University in the City of New York worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Columbia University in the City of New York ranks #13 of 918 (top 2%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 5.17x the money invested over a decade.
Is Columbia University in the City of New York expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $21,590 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 45% of them.
Do Columbia University in the City of New York graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $102,491 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 98% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Columbia University in the City of New York compared to other colleges?
Its 4.0% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 100% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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