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Northeastern BC NYU Harvard Yale Barnard Babson Princeton Tufts UMass Brandeis University Cornell| Boston University | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
BU | Columbia | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 36,714 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #79 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | bu.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
BU | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $61,050 | $62,570 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $61,050 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,400 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,829 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $51,565 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 48% | 52% |
Admission |
BU | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 80,796 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 11,607 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 14.4% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 31.3% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.79 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 31/34 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1350/1500 | 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 4, 2025 | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
BU | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
BU | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $72,000 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $222 |
Diversity |
BU | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 43% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 20% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
BU | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 14% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 61% | 64% | ||
Campus |
BU | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Boston University is larger than than Columbia based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 34,782 students)
BU vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, BU or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 2.5% more expensive to attend than BU for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $61,050.00)
- Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at Columbia than Boston University ($62,570.00 vs. $61,050.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than BU ($22,058 vs. $27,829)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 6.8% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,286 vs. $17,400)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Boston University (52% vs. 48%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 18.4% larger than aid received Boston University ($61,061 vs. $51,565)
BU vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, BU or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or BU .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 170 points higher than at BU (1303)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
- 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 (14.4%) than Columbia (3.9%)
BU vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, BU 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 BU.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than Boston University (93% vs. 85%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $35,600 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $72,000)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
- Columbia graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans 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/