BC vs. Columbia

Should I go to Boston College or Columbia University in the City of New York? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or Columbia is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Boston College vs. Columbia University in the City of New York comparison
Boston College Columbia University in the City of New York College 3 College 4
Boston College Columbia University in the City of New York
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Overview

BC Columbia
Location Chestnut Hill, MA New York, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 15,287 34,782
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #22
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu columbia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Columbia
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $62,570
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $62,570
Room & Board $16,120 $16,286
Avg Net Price $30,559 $22,058
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $61,061
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 52%

Admission

BC Columbia
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 60,879
Admitted 6,748 2,404
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 3.9%
Enrolled % 34.6% 64.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.91
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1435/1540 1490/1580
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 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

BC Columbia
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

BC Columbia
Graduation Rate 91% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $107,600
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $196 $222

Diversity

BC Columbia
% Men 45% 46%
% Women 55% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 38%
% Black 4% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 6% 15%
% Unknown Race 6% 3%

Students

BC Columbia
% In-State 21% 19%
% Out-of-State 71% 64%

Campus

BC Columbia
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 15,287 students)

BC vs. Columbia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Columbia?

  • Boston College is 0.6% more expensive to attend than Columbia for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $62,570.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at BC than Columbia University in the City of New York ($62,950.00 vs. $62,570.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than BC ($22,058 vs. $30,559)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 1% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($16,120 vs. $16,286)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Boston College (52% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 22.1% larger than aid received Boston College ($61,061 vs. $49,992)

BC vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or BC .

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 93 points higher than at BC (1380)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at BC (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than Columbia (3.9%)

BC vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than Boston College (93% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $16,700 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $90,900)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($19,000 vs. $21,500)
  • BC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($196 vs. $222)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/