Columbia vs. John Jay

Should I go to Columbia University in the City of New York or CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Columbia or John Jay 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. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice comparison
Columbia University in the City of New York CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice College 3 College 4
Columbia University in the City of New York CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
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Overview

Columbia John Jay
Location New York, NY New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 35,279 13,510
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #556
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia John Jay
Tuition (In State) $65,340 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $65,340 $14,880
Room & Board $16,800 $21,788
Avg Net Price $20,869 $4,141
Avg Grant Aid $65,173 $9,284
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 87%

Admission

Columbia John Jay
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 57,613 17,921
Admitted 2,439 10,255
Acceptance Rate 4.2% 57.2%
Enrolled % 63.1% 19.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.24
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 1000/1250
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, 2026

Academics

Columbia John Jay
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (54%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Legal Professions (5%)
  • Human Services (3%)

Outcomes

Columbia John Jay
Graduation Rate 93% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $10,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $103

Diversity

Columbia John Jay
% Men 33% 4%
% Women 42% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 18%
% Black 8% 17%
% Hispanic 13% 48%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 15% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Columbia John Jay
% In-State 19% 90%
% Out-of-State 64% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than John Jay based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 13,510 students)

Columbia vs. John Jay Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or John Jay?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 842.9% more expensive to attend than John Jay for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 339.1% higher at Columbia than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($65,340.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Columbia ($4,141 vs. $20,869)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 29.7% lower than costs at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($16,800 vs. $21,788)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than Columbia University in the City of New York (87% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 602% larger than aid received CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($65,173 vs. $9,284)

Columbia vs. John Jay Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 498 points higher than at John Jay (975)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.67 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at John Jay (3.24)
  • John Jay has a higher acceptance rate (57.2%) than Columbia (4.2%)

Columbia vs. John Jay Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia or John Jay? 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 John Jay and Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (93% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $59,700 more per year than John Jay graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $47,900)
  • CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students graduate with a $11,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($10,000 vs. $21,500)
  • John Jay graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($103 vs. $222)
  • More Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 52%)

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