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UConn UVM Penn State Harvard Yale Barnard Princeton Rutgers UMass Dartmouth BU UD Cornell| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Columbia University in the City of New York | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UMass | Columbia | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | New York, NY | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 31,810 | 35,279 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #176 | #22 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | umass.edu | columbia.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UMass | Columbia | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $16,591 | $65,340 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,527 | $65,340 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,869 | $16,800 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,954 | $20,869 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,343 | $65,173 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 75% | 52% |
Admission |
UMass | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 50,424 | 57,613 | ||
| Admitted | 29,129 | 2,439 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 57.8% | 4.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.1% | 63.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.99 | 3.91 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Extreme | ||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1480 | 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 |
UMass | Columbia | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 6:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UMass | Columbia | ||
| Graduation Rate | 67% | 93% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,200 | $107,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 76% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,000 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $248 | $222 |
Diversity |
UMass | Columbia | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 12% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 42% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 67% | 38% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 4% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 8% | 3% |
Students |
UMass | Columbia | ||
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| % In-State | 67% | 19% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 23% | 64% | ||
Campus |
UMass | 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
- Columbia University in the City of New York is larger than than UMass based on total student enrollment (35,279 students vs. 31,810 students)
UMass vs. Columbia Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UMass or Columbia?
- Columbia University in the City of New York is 293.8% more expensive to attend than UMass for in-state tuition ($65,340.00 vs. $16,591.00)
- Out of state tuition is 69.6% higher at Columbia than University of Massachusetts Amherst ($65,340.00 vs. $38,527.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbia University in the City of New York than UMass ($20,869 vs. $22,954)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Amherst are 13% lower than costs at Columbia University in the City of New York ($14,869 vs. $16,800)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Amherst than Columbia University in the City of New York (75% vs. 52%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia University in the City of New York students is 428% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Amherst ($65,173 vs. $12,343)
UMass vs. Columbia Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UMass or Columbia? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Columbia or UMass .
- The average SAT score at Columbia University in the City of New York (1473) is 247 points higher than at UMass (1226)
- Incoming Columbia students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UMass (28)
- Accepted freshman UMass students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.99) than students at Columbia (3.91)
- UMass has a higher acceptance rate (57.8%) than Columbia (4.2%)
UMass vs. Columbia Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UMass 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 UMass.
- The graduation rate at Columbia is higher than University of Massachusetts Amherst (93% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from Columbia University in the City of New York earn on average $52,400 more per year than UMass graduates after ten years. ($107,600 vs. $55,200)
- Columbia University in the City of New York students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass graduates. ($21,500 vs. $24,000)
- Columbia graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than UMass graduates. ($222 vs. $248)
- More UMass graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 76%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/