Columbia vs. Hamilton College

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

Columbia Hamilton College
Location New York, NY Clinton, NY
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 34,782 2,072
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #28
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu hamilton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia Hamilton College
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $62,050
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $62,050
Room & Board $16,286 $15,910
Avg Net Price $22,058 $24,503
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $52,497
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 54%

Admission

Columbia Hamilton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 9,899
Admitted 2,404 1,166
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 11.8%
Enrolled % 64.1% 41%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/35 33/34
SAT Range 1490/1580 1420/1540
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 5, 2025

Academics

Columbia Hamilton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

Columbia Hamilton College
Graduation Rate 93% 89%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $79,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $15,760
Median Loan Payment $222 $162

Diversity

Columbia Hamilton College
% Men 46% 45%
% Women 54% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 38% 63%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 15% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 8%

Students

Columbia Hamilton College
% In-State 19% 25%
% Out-of-State 64% 66%

Campus

Columbia Hamilton College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes Yes
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 Hamilton College based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 2,072 students)

Columbia vs. Hamilton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Hamilton College?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 0.8% more expensive to attend than Hamilton College for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $62,050.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.8% higher at Columbia than Hamilton College ($62,570.00 vs. $62,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than Hamilton College ($22,058 vs. $24,503)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hamilton College are 2.4% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($15,910 vs. $16,286)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hamilton College than Columbia University in the City of New York (54% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 16.3% larger than aid received Hamilton College ($61,061 vs. $52,497)

Columbia vs. Hamilton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Hamilton College (3.87)
  • Hamilton College has a higher acceptance rate (11.8%) than Columbia (3.9%)

Columbia vs. Hamilton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia or Hamilton 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 Hamilton College and Columbia.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than Hamilton College (93% vs. 89%)
  • Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $28,600 more per year than Hamilton College graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $79,000)
  • Hamilton College students graduate with a $5,740 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($15,760 vs. $21,500)
  • Hamilton College graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($162 vs. $222)
  • More Hamilton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 76%)

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