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Maryland TU Harvard Yale Barnard Princeton Cornell UChicago NYU Mason UD Stanford| University of Maryland Baltimore County | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
| Location | Baltimore, MD | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 14,148 | 35,279 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #263 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | umbc.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $9,238 | $65,340 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,594 | $65,340 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,204 | $16,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,704 | $20,869 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,956 | $65,173 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 52% |
Admission |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,150 | 57,613 | ||
| Admitted | 9,762 | 2,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.2% | 4.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 20.3% | 63.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.97 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 23/30 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 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 | Feb 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 57% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $59,500 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 67% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,197 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $222 |
Diversity |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 44% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 17% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 6% | 64% | ||
Campus |
UMBC | Columbia | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | 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 UMBC based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 14,148 students)
UMBC vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 607.3% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $9,238.00)
- Out of state tuition is 145.7% higher at Columbia than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($65,340.00 vs. $26,594.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Columbia ($17,704 vs. $20,869)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 18.3% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($14,204 vs. $16,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County 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 554.6% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($65,173 vs. $9,956)
UMBC vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UMBC or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or UMBC .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 264 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UMBC (27)
- Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (74.2%) than Columbia (4.2%)
UMBC vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (93% vs. 57%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $48,100 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $59,500)
- University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $303 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia graduates. ($21,197 vs. $21,500)
- UMBC graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia graduates. ($219 vs. $222)
- More Columbia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/