Columbia vs. Stanford

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

Columbia Stanford
Location New York, NY Stanford, CA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 34,782 18,283
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #22 #2
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbia.edu stanford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbia Stanford
Tuition (In State) $62,570 $57,693
Tuition (Out of State) $62,570 $57,693
Room & Board $16,286 $18,619
Avg Net Price $22,058 $18,279
Avg Grant Aid $61,061 $60,619
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 53%

Admission

Columbia Stanford
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,879 56,378
Admitted 2,404 2,075
Acceptance Rate 3.9% 3.7%
Enrolled % 64.1% 83.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 33/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1500/1580
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 Stanford
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • History (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Columbia Stanford
Graduation Rate 93% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $107,600 $122,900
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $12,475
Median Loan Payment $222 $128

Diversity

Columbia Stanford
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 37%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 15%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 10%
% International 15% 9%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Columbia Stanford
% In-State 19% 35%
% Out-of-State 64% 48%

Campus

Columbia Stanford
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 Stanford based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 18,283 students)

Columbia vs. Stanford Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia or Stanford?

  • Columbia University in the City of New York is 8.5% more expensive to attend than Stanford for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.5% higher at Columbia than Stanford University ($62,570.00 vs. $57,693.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Stanford University than Columbia ($18,279 vs. $22,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 14.3% lower than costs at Stanford University ($16,286 vs. $18,619)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Stanford University than Columbia University in the City of New York (53% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 0.7% larger than aid received Stanford University ($61,061 vs. $60,619)

Columbia vs. Stanford Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Stanford University (1479) is 6 points higher than at Columbia (1473)
  • Incoming Columbia students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Stanford (33)
  • Accepted freshman Stanford students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Columbia (3.91)
  • Columbia has a higher acceptance rate (3.9%) than Stanford (3.7%)

Columbia vs. Stanford Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Stanford is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (96% vs. 93%)
  • Graduates from Stanford University earn on average $15,300 more per year than Columbia graduates after ten years. ($122,900 vs. $107,600)
  • Stanford University students graduate with a $9,025 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($12,475 vs. $21,500)
  • Stanford graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($128 vs. $222)
  • More Stanford graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 76%)

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