Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Penn State Harvard Yale Barnard Princeton UVM UMass Cornell JMU Rutgers Virginia Tech UChicago| University of Delaware | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UD | Columbia | ||
| Location | Newark, DE | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 24,221 | 35,279 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #142 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | udel.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UD | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,040 | $65,340 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $37,680 | $65,340 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,838 | $16,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,716 | $20,869 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,996 | $65,173 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 52% |
Admission |
UD | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 37,690 | 57,613 | ||
| Admitted | 24,541 | 2,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 65.1% | 4.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.5% | 63.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.94 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 27/31 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1200/1360 | 1490/1570 | ||
| 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 15, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UD | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 6:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
UD | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 78% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,300 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 80% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,203 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $250 | $222 |
Diversity |
UD | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 9% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 74% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
UD | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 35% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 64% | 64% | ||
Campus |
UD | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than UD based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 24,221 students)
UD vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UD or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 365.4% more expensive to attend than UD for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $14,040.00)
- Out of state tuition is 73.4% higher at Columbia than University of Delaware ($65,340.00 vs. $37,680.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Delaware than Columbia ($17,716 vs. $20,869)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Delaware are 13.2% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($14,838 vs. $16,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Delaware than Columbia University in the City of New York (87% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 401.5% larger than aid received University of Delaware ($65,173 vs. $12,996)
UD vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UD or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or UD .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 275 points higher than at UD (1198)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UD (27)
- Accepted freshman UD students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- UD has a higher acceptance rate (65.1%) than Columbia (4.2%)
UD vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UD 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 UD.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than University of Delaware (93% vs. 78%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $46,300 more per year than UD graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $61,300)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $2,703 lower median federal student loan debt than UD graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,203)
- Columbia graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than UD graduates. ($222 vs. $250)
- More UD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/