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UB Harvard Yale Barnard Binghamton University Princeton State University of New York at New Paltz Cornell SUNY College at Oneonta UChicago NYU Stanford| Columbia University in the City of New York | SUNY at Albany | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
| Location | New York, NY | Albany, NY | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 35,279 | 16,880 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #22 | #242 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | columbia.edu | albany.edu | ||
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Costs |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $65,340 | $7,070 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $65,340 | $25,660 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,800 | $16,182 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,869 | $19,165 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $65,173 | $9,747 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 93% |
Admission |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 57,613 | 30,740 | ||
| Admitted | 2,439 | 21,477 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 4.2% | 69.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 63.1% | 13.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.3 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 22/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 1120/1320 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
| Graduation Rate | 93% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $107,600 | $55,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $21,065 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $217 |
Diversity |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
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| % Men | 33% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 42% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 38% | 49% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 16% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 15% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 15% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
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| % In-State | 19% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 64% | 4% | ||
Campus |
Columbia | University at Albany- SUNY | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| 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 University at Albany- SUNY based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 16,880 students)
Columbia vs. University at Albany- SUNY Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Columbia or University at Albany- SUNY?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 824.2% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $7,070.00)
- Out of state tuition is 154.6% higher at Columbia than SUNY at Albany ($65,340.00 vs. $25,660.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than Columbia ($19,165 vs. $20,869)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Albany are 3.8% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($16,182 vs. $16,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Columbia University in the City of New York (93% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 568.6% larger than aid received SUNY at Albany ($65,173 vs. $9,747)
Columbia vs. University at Albany- SUNY Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Columbia or University at Albany- SUNY? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University at Albany- SUNY or Columbia .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 382 points higher than at University at Albany- SUNY (1091)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (24)
- Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
- University at Albany- SUNY has a higher acceptance rate (69.9%) than Columbia (4.2%)
Columbia vs. University at Albany- SUNY Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Columbia or University at Albany- SUNY? 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 University at Albany- SUNY and Columbia.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than SUNY at Albany (93% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $51,800 more per year than University at Albany- SUNY graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $55,800)
- SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $435 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($21,065 vs. $21,500)
- University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($217 vs. $222)
- More Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University at Albany- SUNY students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/