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% |
How Columbia University in the City of New York compares with its nearest rivals
Columbia University in the City of New York ranks #13 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 2 of them cost less per year and 3 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private nonprofit college in New York, NY with 8,973 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $89,472 a year, but the average aided family pays $21,590, a 76% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $21,500, equal to 21% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at Columbia University in the City of New York: 4.0% of applicants are admitted.
- Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA; #12 of 918; 93.3% graduate) costs $7,259 more per year ($28,849 net), and its graduates earn $2,245 more ten years out ($104,736). Claremont McKenna College adds $1,414 more ten-year value than Columbia University in the City of New York. Claremont McKenna College pays back its cost in 2.2 years.
- Cornell University (Ithaca, NY; #14 of 918; 95.3% graduate) costs $7,100 more per year ($28,690 net), and its graduates earn $1,552 more ten years out ($104,043). Columbia University in the City of New York adds $5,380 more ten-year value than Cornell University. Cornell University pays back its cost in 2.2 years.
- Harvard University (Cambridge, MA; #11 of 918; 97.5% graduate) costs $2,524 less per year ($19,066 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($101,817). Harvard University adds $10,856 more ten-year value than Columbia University in the City of New York. Harvard University pays back its cost in 1.6 years.
- Yale University (New Haven, CT; #15 of 918; 96.0% graduate) costs $2,187 more per year ($23,777 net), and its graduates earn $1,958 less ten years out ($100,533). Columbia University in the City of New York adds $19,803 more ten-year value than Yale University. Yale University pays back its cost in 2 years.
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (Atlanta, GA; #10 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $9,474 less per year ($12,116 net), and its graduates earn about the same ten years out ($102,772). Georgia Institute of Technology adds $40,534 more ten-year value than Columbia University in the City of New York. Georgia Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 1.3 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | #10 | $12,116 | $102,772 | 93.2% | $490,584 |
| Harvard University | #11 | $19,066 | $101,817 | 97.5% | $460,906 |
| Claremont McKenna College | #12 | $28,849 | $104,736 | 93.3% | $451,464 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | #13 | $21,590 | $102,491 | 95.5% | $450,050 |
| Cornell University | #14 | $28,690 | $104,043 | 95.3% | $444,670 |
| Yale University | #15 | $23,777 | $100,533 | 96.0% | $430,247 |
Paying for Columbia University in the City of New York
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
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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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.