BU vs. Columbia

Deciding between Boston University and Columbia University in the City of New York? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Boston University
Columbia University in the City of New York

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • BU Boston, MA
  • Columbia New York, NY
  • Setting
  • BU Large City
  • Columbia Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • BU 37,737
  • Columbia 35,173
  • Type
  • BU Private 4 Year
  • Columbia Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • BU #73
  • Columbia #22
  • Religious Affiliation
  • BU -
  • Columbia -
  • Status
  • BU Non-profit
  • Columbia Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • BU
  • Columbia

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • BU $68,102
  • Columbia $71,845
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • BU $68,102
  • Columbia $71,845
  • Room & Board
  • BU $19,020
  • Columbia $17,580
  • Average Net Price
  • BU $24,420
  • Columbia $22,520
  • Average Grant Aid
  • BU $61,848
  • Columbia $67,010
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • BU 49%
  • Columbia 52%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • BU 78,769
  • Columbia 60,115
  • Admitted
  • BU 8,749
  • Columbia 2,400
  • Acceptance Rate
  • BU 11.1%
  • Columbia 4%
  • Enrolled
  • BU 37.4%
  • Columbia 64.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • BU 1480
  • Columbia 1550
  • Typical ACT score
  • BU 33
  • Columbia 34
  • Average High School GPA
  • BU 3.79
  • Columbia 3.91
  • Typical High School Grades
  • BU A-
  • Columbia A
  • Admissions Standards
  • BU Exceptional
  • Columbia Elite
  • Applicant Competition
  • BU Very High
  • Columbia Extreme
  • ACT Range
  • BU 32/34
  • Columbia 34/35
  • SAT Range
  • BU 1420/1530
  • Columbia 1510/1580
  • Submit Test Scores
  • BU Test optional
  • Columbia Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • BU Jan 4, 2027
  • Columbia Jan 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • BU 10:1
  • Columbia 6:1
  • Popular Majors
  • BU
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (15%)
    • Health Professions (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • Columbia
    • Social Sciences (26%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • English and Literature (7%)
    • History (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • BU 85%
  • Columbia 93%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • BU $72,000
  • Columbia $107,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • BU 82%
  • Columbia 76%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • BU $27,000
  • Columbia $21,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • BU $279
  • Columbia $222

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • BU 42%
  • Columbia 45%
  • % Women
  • BU 58%
  • Columbia 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • BU Very High
  • Columbia Very High
  • HBCU
  • BU No
  • Columbia No
  • % White
  • BU 43%
  • Columbia 38%
  • % Asian
  • BU 14%
  • Columbia 18%
  • % Black
  • BU 4%
  • Columbia 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • BU 11%
  • Columbia 13%
  • % Native American
  • BU 0%
  • Columbia 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • BU 0%
  • Columbia 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • BU 4%
  • Columbia 5%
  • % International
  • BU 20%
  • Columbia 15%
  • % Unknown Race
  • BU 5%
  • Columbia 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • BU 15%
  • Columbia 16%
  • % Out-of-State
  • BU 62%
  • Columbia 63%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • BU Yes
  • Columbia Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • BU No
  • Columbia Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • BU Yes
  • Columbia Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • BU Yes
  • Columbia No
  • Daycare Facility
  • BU No
  • Columbia No

Comparable Facts

Compare Boston University in Boston, MA with Columbia University in the City of New York in New York, NY on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Boston University is larger than Columbia based on total student enrollment (37,737 students vs. 35,173 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Boston University is located in Boston, MA (Large City setting); Columbia University in the City of New York is in New York, NY (Large City setting).
  • Boston University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Boston University 10:1; Columbia University in the City of New York 6:1.

BU vs. Columbia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Columbia? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than BU ($22,520 vs. $24,420).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 7.6% lower than at Boston University ($17,580 vs. $19,020).
  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 5.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than BU (about $3,743 more per year; $71,845.00 vs. $68,102.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.5% higher at Columbia than at Boston University (about $3,743 more per year; $71,845.00 vs. $68,102.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than at Boston University (52% vs. 49%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 8.3% larger than aid received by Boston University students ($67,010 vs. $61,848).

BU vs. Columbia Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU or Columbia? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Columbia and BU.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Columbia University in the City of New York (1550) is 70 points higher than at BU (1480).
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (34 vs. 33 at BU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 1420/1530; Columbia University in the City of New York 1510/1580.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Boston University 32/34; Columbia University in the City of New York 34/35.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: BU - Test optional; Columbia - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: BU Jan 4, 2027; Columbia Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at BU (3.79).
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (11.1%) than Columbia (4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 37.4% at BU vs. 64.9% at Columbia.

BU vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for BU and Columbia? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Columbia University in the City of New York's six-year graduation rate (93%) is higher than Boston University's (85%).
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median of about $35,600 more per year than BU graduates about ten years after starting college ($107,600 vs. $72,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Columbia University in the City of New York graduates have a $5,500 lower median loan debt than BU graduates ($21,500 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Columbia graduates have an estimated $57 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than BU graduates ($222 vs. $279).
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 76%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.