Columbia vs. Olin College

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

Columbia Olin College
Location New York, NY Needham, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 34,782 386
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #22
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu olin.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia Olin College
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $57,280
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $57,280
Room & Board $16,286 $18,524
Avg Net Price $22,058 $38,502
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $40,522
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 100%

Admission

Columbia Olin College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 862
Admitted 2,404 165
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 19.1%
Enrolled % 64.1% 45.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 35/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1490/1560
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 1, 2025

Academics

Columbia Olin College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Engineering (100%)

Outcomes

Columbia Olin College
Graduation Rate 93% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 76% -
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $14,710
Median Loan Payment $222 $152

Diversity

Columbia Olin College
% Men 46% 50%
% Women 54% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 53%
% Black 8% 0%
% Hispanic 13% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 15% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 11%

Students

Columbia Olin College
% In-State 19% 12%
% Out-of-State 64% 79%

Campus

Columbia Olin College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
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 Olin College based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 386 students)

Columbia vs. Olin College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Olin College?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 9.2% more expensive to attend than Olin College for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.2% higher at Columbia than Olin College of Engineering ($62,570.00 vs. $57,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Olin College ($22,058 vs. $38,502)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 13.7% lower than costs at Olin College of Engineering ($16,286 vs. $18,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Olin College of Engineering than Columbia University in the City of New York (100% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 50.7% larger than aid received Olin College of Engineering ($61,061 vs. $40,522)

Columbia vs. Olin College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Olin College of Engineering (1506) is 33 points higher than at Columbia (1473)
  • Incoming Olin College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Columbia (33)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Olin College (3.9)
  • Olin College has a higher acceptance rate (19.1%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. Olin College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia or Olin College? 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 Olin College and Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Olin College is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (96% vs. 93%)
  • Olin College of Engineering students graduate with a $6,790 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($14,710 vs. $21,500)
  • Olin College graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($152 vs. $222)

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