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NJIT TCNJ Penn State Seton Hall University Rutgers University-Camden Harvard Yale Barnard SUNY Stony Brook Princeton Binghamton University UMass| Rutgers University New Brunswick | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
| Location | New Brunswick, NJ | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 50,637 | 34,782 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #112 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | rutgers.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,900 | $62,570 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $30,600 | $62,570 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,909 | $16,286 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,535 | $22,058 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,785 | $61,061 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 52% |
Admission |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 41,654 | 60,879 | ||
| Admitted | 27,612 | 2,404 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 66.3% | 3.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 28.2% | 64.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1270/1480 | 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 |
Academics |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 77% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $66,200 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,215 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $229 | $222 |
Diversity |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 46% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 54% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 7% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 64% | ||
Campus |
Rutgers | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Columbia based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 34,782 students)
Rutgers vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 385% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($62,570.00 vs. $12,900.00)
- Out of state tuition is 104.5% higher at Columbia than Rutgers University New Brunswick ($62,570.00 vs. $30,600.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Columbia ($17,535 vs. $22,058)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 17.1% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($13,909 vs. $16,286)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Columbia University in the City of New York (57% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 377.6% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($61,061 vs. $12,785)
Rutgers vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or Rutgers .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 248 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
- Accepted freshman Columbia students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
- Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Columbia (3.9%)
Rutgers vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (93% vs. 77%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $41,400 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $66,200)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,215)
- Columbia graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($222 vs. $229)
- More Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 68%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/