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George Washington Harvard Yale Barnard Princeton Cornell UChicago NYU Georgetown Stanford Brown Penn| American University | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
AU | Columbia | ||
| Location | Washington, DC | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 13,019 | 35,279 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #84 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | United Methodist | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | american.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
AU | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $55,724 | $65,340 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $55,724 | $65,340 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,012 | $16,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $40,189 | $20,869 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $31,402 | $65,173 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 52% |
Admission |
AU | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,786 | 57,613 | ||
| Admitted | 8,427 | 2,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.4% | 4.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22% | 63.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1450 | 1490/1570 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
AU | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
AU | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $64,800 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,250 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $222 |
Diversity |
AU | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 25% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 7% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
AU | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 2% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 94% | 64% | ||
Campus |
AU | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 13,019 students)
AU vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, AU or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 17.3% more expensive to attend than AU for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- Out of state tuition is 17.3% higher at Columbia than American University ($65,340.00 vs. $55,724.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than AU ($20,869 vs. $40,189)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 1.3% lower than costs at American University ($16,800 vs. $17,012)
- More students receive financial grant aid at American University than Columbia University in the City of New York (62% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 107.5% larger than aid received American University ($65,173 vs. $31,402)
AU vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, AU or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or AU .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 221 points higher than at AU (1252)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at AU (28)
- Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at AU (3.7)
- AU has a higher acceptance rate (47.4%) than Columbia (4.2%)
AU vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, AU or Columbia? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Columbia and AU.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than American University (93% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $42,800 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $64,800)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,250)
- Columbia graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
- More AU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/