Acceptance rate
4.0%
Columbia University in the City of New York
Admission Chances & Acceptance Rate
Located in New York City, this private university enrolls 34,782 students and admits 4% of applicants. It is highly selective, with middle-50% SAT scores of 1510–1580. The school has a 96% graduation rate and 98% first-year retention rate. Social Sciences, Computer Science, and Engineering are the most popular fields, and graduates earn a median of $102,491 ten years after enrollment.
Enrollment
34,782
Test policy
optional
Grad rate (6-yr)
96%
Will you get into Columbia University in the City of New York?
Enter your GPA, SAT & ACT and get your personal admission probability — free, no credit card.
Calculate my chances →◴ Admitted Student Profile
The middle 50% of admitted students (25th–75th percentile), self-reported by the school.
SAT (combined)
1510 – 1580
ACT (composite)
34 – 35
GPA
Not published
$ What You'll Actually Pay
Average yearly net price after grants & scholarships, by family income (federal cohort averages — not a personal quote).
$0–30k
$4,570
family income
$30–48k
$2,275
family income
$48–75k
$5,866
family income
$75–110k
$11,782
family income
$110k+
$50,621
family income
23% receive Pell grants
14% take federal loans
✦ Strongest Programs
The fields Columbia University in the City of New York graduates the most students in — a signal of depth, faculty, and alumni networks.
Social Sciences
24.0%
Computer Science
17.2%
Engineering
12.4%
Biology
7.9%
English
5.3%
↗ Outcomes
School-level averages across all students who enrolled (College Scorecard). Not a personal forecast.
Earnings (10 yr)
$102,491
Earnings (6 yr)
$88,535
Completion
96%
Retention
98%
Median debt
$21,500
? Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Columbia University in the City of New York?
Columbia University in the City of New York has an acceptance rate of 4.0%, making it highly selective.
What SAT score do you need for Columbia University in the City of New York?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 1510 and 1580 on the SAT. The ACT range is 34–35.
How much does Columbia University in the City of New York actually cost?
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for the lowest income band is $4,570 per year, rising to $50,621 for families earning $110k+. These are federal cohort averages, not a personal quote.
What are my chances of getting into Columbia University in the City of New York?
Your odds depend on how your GPA and test scores compare to admitted students, plus factors like major, residency, and early decision. UniversityOdds calculates a personalized probability for free — enter your stats to see yours.
See your real odds at Columbia University in the City of New York and ~50 top schools
UniversityOdds compares your profile to real admissions data — and tells you honestly when it's guessing.
Get my free odds →Data sourced from IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Acceptance probabilities calculated by UniversityOdds are estimates based on published academic data and are not a guarantee of admission. Net price figures are federal cohort averages, not personalized quotes — run the school's official net price calculator for your own estimate.