Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Barnard Brown Penn UChicago Cornell Williams| Harvard University | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
| Location | Cambridge, MA | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 30,631 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #4 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | harvard.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $52,659 | $62,570 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $52,659 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,502 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,491 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $61,801 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 56% | 52% |
Admission |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 61,221 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 1,984 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 3.2% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 83% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 34/36 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1580 | 1490/1580 | ||
| 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 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 6:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 97% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $136,700 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 70% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $6,500 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $67 | $222 |
Diversity |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 5% | ||
| % International | 11% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 3% |
Students |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Harvard | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than Harvard based on total student enrollment (34,782 students vs. 30,631 students)
Harvard vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 18.8% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $52,659.00)
- Out of state tuition is 18.8% higher at Columbia than Harvard University ($62,570.00 vs. $52,659.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Columbia ($19,491 vs. $22,058)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia University in the City of New York are 19.7% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,286 vs. $19,502)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Columbia University in the City of New York (56% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 1.2% larger than aid received Columbia University in the City of New York ($61,801 vs. $61,061)
Harvard vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Harvard or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Harvard .
- The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 24 points higher than at Columbia (1473)
- Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Columbia (33)
- Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- Columbia has a higher acceptance rate (3.9%) than Harvard (3.2%)
Harvard vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Harvard or Columbia? 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 Columbia and Harvard.
- The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Columbia University in the City of New York (97% vs. 93%)
- Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $29,100 more per year than Columbia graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $107,600)
- Harvard University students graduate with a $15,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($6,500 vs. $21,500)
- Harvard graduates are paying $155 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($67 vs. $222)
- More Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard 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/