Columbia vs. Cornell

Should I go to Columbia University in the City of New York or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia or Cornell 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Harvard Princeton Yale Barnard Georgetown Penn NYU Johns Hopkins Duke Colgate UChicago Northwestern
Columbia University in the City of New York vs. Cornell University comparison
Columbia University in the City of New York Cornell University College 3 College 4
Columbia University in the City of New York Cornell University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Columbia Cornell
Location New York, NY Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 34,782 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia Cornell
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $62,456
Room & Board $16,286 $16,988
Avg Net Price $22,058 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 51%

Admission

Columbia Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 69,195
Admitted 2,404 5,168
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 7.5%
Enrolled % 64.1% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1470/1570
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 1, 2025 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

Columbia Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

Columbia Cornell
Graduation Rate 93% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $124

Diversity

Columbia Cornell
% Men 46% 47%
% Women 54% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 41%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 15% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Columbia Cornell
% In-State 19% 33%
% Out-of-State 64% 55%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Cornell based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 25,898 students)

Columbia vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Cornell?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Cornell for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Columbia than Cornell University ($62,570.00 vs. $62,456.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Cornell ($22,058 vs. $26,060)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 4.3% lower than costs at Cornell University ($16,286 vs. $16,988)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Columbia University in the City of New York than Cornell University (52% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 12.6% larger than aid received Cornell University ($61,061 vs. $54,219)

Columbia vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 45 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming Columbia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (7.5%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia or Cornell? 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 Cornell and Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is the same as at Cornell University (93% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $9,200 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $98,400)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($12,000 vs. $21,500)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($124 vs. $222)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 76%)

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