Columbia vs. William & Mary

Should I go to Columbia University in the City of New York or College of William and Mary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia or William & Mary 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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Columbia University in the City of New York vs. College of William and Mary comparison
Columbia University in the City of New York College of William and Mary College 3 College 4
Columbia University in the City of New York College of William and Mary
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Overview

Columbia William & Mary
Location New York, NY Williamsburg, VA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 34,782 9,654
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #61
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $40,089
Room & Board $16,286 $13,828
Avg Net Price $22,058 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 66%

Admission

Columbia William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 18,087
Admitted 2,404 6,059
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 33.5%
Enrolled % 64.1% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme High
ACT Range 34/35 32/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 1375/1520
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 2, 2025

Academics

Columbia William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Columbia William & Mary
Graduation Rate 93% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $201

Diversity

Columbia William & Mary
% Men 46% 42%
% Women 54% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 59%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 15% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

Columbia William & Mary
% In-State 19% 58%
% Out-of-State 64% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 9,654 students)

Columbia vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or William & Mary?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 258.9% more expensive to attend than William & Mary for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $17,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.1% higher at Columbia than College of William and Mary ($62,570.00 vs. $40,089.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than William & Mary ($22,058 vs. $25,688)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of William and Mary are 17.8% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($13,828 vs. $16,286)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of William and Mary than Columbia University in the City of New York (66% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 303.5% larger than aid received College of William and Mary ($61,061 vs. $15,134)

Columbia vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 120 points higher than at William & Mary (1353)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at William & Mary (30)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at William & Mary (3.85)
  • William & Mary has a higher acceptance rate (33.5%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than College of William and Mary (93% vs. 91%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $38,900 more per year than William & Mary graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $68,700)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 76%)

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